Fairlight: sample/bit-rate conversion and mngmt issues

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Adriano Castaldini

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Fairlight: sample/bit-rate conversion and mngmt issues

PostSun Nov 22, 2020 3:23 pm

Hi everyone,
I come from Adobe Audition. There I could do simple things like... set a project at 48kHz 32bit independently from OSX system setting, then load a 192kHz audio file and choose if converting it to 48kHz, or "Interpret” it to 86/48/24/12/etc. kHz. That means you can “naturally” slow down both speed and pitch of your file (exactly like shooting at 120fps and “conforming” to 30fps). Another good things is when you “convert” the file to a different bit-depth, you can specify the dithering mode.

All these possibilities are VERY useful for sound design. I tried to find how to do the same things in Fairlight, but it seems I can't. Perhaps I'm a newbie...

In my project (a short) I have different types of audio files: some are 44.1kHz 16bit, others 44.1kHz 32bit, others 48kHz 32bit, and others are 192kHz 32bit.
1st PROBLEM: I can't find where to conform/interpret the sample rate (I expected in Clip Attributes or in Media page, but nothing...)
2nd PROBLEM: I can't find where to convert bit-depth and where to specify the dithering method (I expected at least in Delivery page, but nothing...)
3rd PROBLEM: Fairlight page's audio preview is good, instead Edit page's audio preview is glitchy/stuttering! (Why this difference?) Anyway I noticed that in Preference>System>General you can set Buffer size up only to 2048 (that is poor...) Then I noticed a better improvement if setting OSX Audio Setup to 96kHz 24bit (it's strange because Fairlight should handle things independently from system setting, at least Audition does so).

Can you kindly help me to understand? Thanks a lot in advance.
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Reynaud Venter

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Re: Fairlight: sample/bit-rate conversion and mngmt issues

PostSun Nov 22, 2020 3:34 pm

Adriano Castaldini wrote:In my project (a short) I have different types of audio files: some are 44.1kHz 16bit, others 44.1kHz 32bit, others 48kHz 32bit, and others are 192kHz 32bit.
Resolve will automatically convert the source media rate to the Project rate.
Resolve Timelines therefore may contain mixed rate source media (44.1k - 384k).

I can't find where to conform/interpret the sample rate (I expected in Clip Attributes or in Media page, but nothing...)
Project Settings > Fairlight > Timeline Sample Rate

Note:
(i) Resolve Studio supports a variety of rates, the free version of Resolve only supports 48k Projects.
(ii) The Project Rate must be specified prior to adding media to the Timeline.

I can't find where to convert bit-depth and where to specify the dithering method (I expected at least in Delivery page, but nothing...)
Resolve Timelines are always 32bit. The source media on the Timeline may be mixed bit depth (16 - 32bit).
The Deliver page provides a Bit Depth setting on the Audio tab below the Sample Rate setting.
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Adriano Castaldini

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Re: Fairlight: sample/bit-rate conversion and mngmt issues

PostSun Nov 22, 2020 3:52 pm

Thanks Reynaud for your so-quick reply.

Reynaud Venter wrote:
Adriano Castaldini wrote:I can't find where to conform/interpret the sample rate (I expected in Clip Attributes or in Media page, but nothing...)
Project Settings > Fairlight > Timeline Sample Rate

Sorry but this is NOT an “interpretation”, this is a “conversion” instead, i.e. every different sample-rate will be converted into Timeline sample-rate. Instead, what I'm searching for is the same as “Video Frame Rate” in Clip Attributes, i.e. simply “reading” a 96kHz audio at 48kHz (slowing down both tempo and pitch) and NOT converting to 48kHz!


Reynaud Venter wrote:
Adriano Castaldini wrote:I can't find where to convert bit-depth and where to specify the dithering method (I expected at least in Delivery page, but nothing...)
Resolve Timelines are always 32bit. The source media on the Timeline may be mixed bit depth (16 - 32bit).
The Deliver page provides a Bit Depth setting on the Audio tab below the Sample Rate setting.

Yes, I saw that, but no dither mode!
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Jim Simon

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Re: Fairlight: sample/bit-rate conversion and mngmt issues

PostSun Nov 22, 2020 4:01 pm

Adriano Castaldini wrote:“reading” a 96kHz audio at 48kHz (slowing down both tempo and pitch)

I don't know of any NLE that will do that. "Conversion" is SOP in the video world.
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Adriano Castaldini

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Re: Fairlight: sample/bit-rate conversion and mngmt issues

PostSun Nov 22, 2020 4:06 pm

Jim Simon wrote:
Adriano Castaldini wrote:“reading” a 96kHz audio at 48kHz (slowing down both tempo and pitch)

I don't know of any NLE that will do that. "Conversion" is SOP in the video world.

Adobe Audition does it! It's not an NLE, but it is the Fairlight equivalent in Adobe suite, I suppose.
More than this, every NLE can read a 60fps video at 30fps (slowing tempo), so it strange it's not a SOP in audio-side too.

Perhaps you know if a plugin could do the trick???
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Jim Simon

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Re: Fairlight: sample/bit-rate conversion and mngmt issues

PostSun Nov 22, 2020 4:25 pm

In the video world, time is not defined by the sample rate, but normally by timecode. Even for audio.

It would be...problematic...if that 1 second of audio did not consistently play for 1 second because the sample rate varied. Hence, "conversion".

If you no longer have access to Audition, the free tool Audacity may be able to accomplish the same thing.
My Biases:

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Adriano Castaldini

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Re: Fairlight: sample/bit-rate conversion and mngmt issues

PostSun Nov 22, 2020 4:44 pm

Jim Simon wrote:In the video world, time is not defined by the sample rate, but normally by timecode. Even for audio.

It would be...problematic...if that 1 second of audio did not consistently play for 1 second because the sample rate varied. Hence, "conversion".

If you no longer have access to Audition, the free tool Audacity may be able to accomplish the same thing.

Thanks Jim for your patient replies. Well, the point to me was being able to apply my usual sound design workflow “internally” Davinci. Sometimes, in my video things, I change my edit choices only after designing a particular sound/pad that re-defines video-clips duration in my edit. Usually I did it jumping back and forth between Davinci and Audition, but it's utterly time-consuming and creativity-inhibiting. So I hoped Fairlight could completely replace Audition in my workflow... And I don't know any plugin that could integrate this function...
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Jim Simon

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Re: Fairlight: sample/bit-rate conversion and mngmt issues

PostSun Nov 22, 2020 5:13 pm

I'm not a fan of plug-ins, so I can't help much with that.

Good luck.
My Biases:

You NEED training.
You NEED a desktop.
You NEED a calibrated (non-computer) display.

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