Sound Quality

[legunner]

Hey guys i recorded my set i played on traktor lastnight and i dropped it into ableton to tweak it a little bit.

I was wondering which sample rate and bit depth are the right choice to make the sound the highest possible quality.

[CBG]

highest possible value is obvious.

however cd quality is 16-bit/44.1khz. that will be perfectly fine

[SolDios]

I always make sure I rip my music into wave format, sure the files are huge, but I only lose 0.03% quality

[legunner]

highest possible value is obvious.

however cd quality is 16-bit/44.1khz. that will be perfectly fine

yeah i soon figured out that highest value was relative to the quality..

so if i were to render a track at any higher then 16bit it would no longer be able to be burnt to a standard cd

[Tomy]

you could put 32bit on CD I think?

when they say CD quality I think its generally the quality of most commercial albums.

[CBG]

yep. as soon as you burn it onto an audio cd, the file will be converted to a 16-bit

[dim]

worth noting in case you dont know: if you have the warp function on in ableton it totally screws your sound quality and results in that very recognisable wobble that ableton applies to everything when it does it's time-warping shit.

If yours is a set and the tweaking didnt require timewarping then turn warp off. You can resample the audio to a new track (also with warp off) and any volume/ edits/effects you've tweaked will be added to the new .wav and you 'll then get a clear .wav at whatever settings you feel best, i'd listen to CBG about that if i were you.

Another option is: If you've recorded in traktor you can play the whole set back in on one of the traktor dex and do any tweaking by overdubbing any mistakes using the other dex in traktor...

[CBG]

theres about 6 different kinds of warping, one will sound better than the other. Beats is the default mode, which doesnt work well for sounds lacking attack sounds like kicks or snares

[dim]

theres about 6 different kinds of warping, one will sound better than the other. Beats is the default mode, which doesnt work well for sounds lacking attack sounds like kicks or snares

true.

but if it doesnt have to be warped no warping is best:

the following is from the ableton manual page 522, chapter 31 see point 4 especially:

31.4 Tips for Achieving Optimal Sound Quality in Live

For users looking to achieve optimal audio quality in Live, we have provided a list of recommended practices and program settings.

1) Decide which sample rate to use for a project prior to beginning work, rather than changing the sample rate while working on the project.

2) Record audio into Live using high-quality hardware components (audio interface, cables, etc.) and at the highest sample rate and bit depth your interface and computer will support.

3) Avoid using samples that are at different sample rates within the same project. If you want to work with such files, we recommend that you first convert them to the sample rate set for your audio interface in an offline application that is optimized for this task.

4) For all audio clips, disable both the Warp and Fade options in the Clip View.

5) Do not adjust the Transpose and Detune controls for any clips.

6) Always render at 32-bit and at the sample rate set for your audio interface. If you need audio files at a different sample rate and/or bit depth, we recommend that you convert your rendered files in an offline application that is optimized for these tasks, rather than in Live.

Please note that these practices, while ensuring optimal audio quality, disable some of Live’s functionality in particular, stretching and synchronization.

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[jerryblam]

I doubt the average kid could tell the difference between 320 44.1 and a WAV. I normally export everything I do into both formats either way. Get an external HD and you'll be sweet mate!

[CBG]

yeah but ableton doesnt bounce to mp3. thats why he's asking

[dim]

Hey guys i recorded my set i played on traktor lastnight and i dropped it into ableton to tweak it a little bit.

I was wondering which sample rate and bit depth are the right choice to make the sound the highest possible quality.

summary of above (someone tell me if i'm out of line please)=

-if you dont need the warp function on take it off.

-if you do need the warp on be sure and choose the best sounding of the 6 warp styles ableton can apply.

-render/export audio in ableton as a 44.1khz/ 32 bit wav. so that when playing in ableton it sounds best.

-but expect any cd buring software to reduce your 32 bit wav to a 16bit wav for the cd.

-and know that this (16 bit) is still exactly equal to the quality you get on manufactured CDs in the shops.

if it still sounds dodgy in any way you better check the levels you were recording it at, or the quality of the original tracks.

good luck