Mixing Question - Levels

[jdhogg]

Don't get me started on sampling rates........

MMM.........are you also frustrated at how nyquists theorem is virtually always incorrectly quoted and practically never understood by end users in real world applications......

[Casey H]

Don't get me started on sampling rates........

MMM.........are you also frustrated at how nyquists theorem is virtually always incorrectly quoted and practically never understood by end users in real world applications......

I'm not an audio engineer, an electrical one by edumucation and, do not claim expertise... This is what I understand about the Nyquist thing, hopefully keeping it simple.

Nyquist's theorem says that A/D sampling is best done at at least 2x the highest frequency component of the signal you are sampling. So, if we say audio's highest frequency is around 20K, rates around 40K or so should work well. (Yes, some will debate how we need audio harmonics much higher than 20K, don't want to open that one up.)...

If you sample at less than 2x the highest frequency component, you will get distortion from missing information needed to accurately reconstruct the waveform. Say you are counting cars going by on a busy street but only look every 5 minutes. A lot can happen in those 5 minutes while you weren't watching.

Sampling much more than 2x the highest frequency (oversampling), can cause you to grab some noise since noise tends to be high frequency glitches that you really don't want in there.

Sometimes, there is intentional oversampling, because the digital samples will be passed through a digital filter (a mathematical filter) to eliminate noise spikes and unwanted stuff. The combination of higher sampling and effective filtering can be very powerful.

Anyway, sometimes we all get too theoretical and technical and need to balance that with what our ears tell us.

Casey

WARNING DISCLAIMER: My post is generalized and simplified and could even contain inacurracies... I don't mind being corrected... But check the guns and daggers at the door.

[fullbirdmusic]

Anyway, sometimes we all get too theoretical and technical and need to balance that with what our ears tell us.

Casey

Agreed. This discussion got a little bit too theoretical for me!
Probly cause I'm too young to have recorded on analog gear! And my work just takes me to the best-sounding product anyway, not what I've learned theoretically - same with guitar playing. Too much of it makes me want to eat my strings. But I sure love hearing you guys talk about it!

I'm still old enough to remember a time before the interwebs, tho :-p

[Len911]

"noise tends to be high frequency glitches"

I tried to find the "noise spectrum", and it looked to me like it was over most of the entire signal, so I gave up. I thought for sure I could use the eraser tool and erase all the little glitches around the regular signal. Maybe Cubase 101.7?

[Casey H]

Actually, "Nyquist" is really a nasal spray version of NyQuil you use when you have a bad cold.

[gtrmann]

Sorry if I took it to far into theory land.......

I am just a tech that has fixed this gear for a living every day for the last 30 years....and I love to talk gear....

I am trying to learn how to be a better songwriter.........LOL

Maybe I should focus more on the songwriting part of this forum..........

Nyquest....Yea, I love that nasal spray....really opens my head up.... and I need that sometimes... so I am going to restrain my self and not comment on the sampling rate post by Casey H .......

Hope everybody has a great week.... and hopefully maybe see a couple familiar names tonight on the UStream show...

[mazz]

It's all about the music in the end, for sure. Ultimately if we make good sounding recordings, the end users will want to use it and will do with it what they need to to make it fit in their productions (usually turning it down until it's barely audible, but that's another topic! )

[Casey H]

It's all about the music in the end, for sure. Ultimately if we make good sounding recordings, the end users will want to use it and will do with it what they need to to make it fit in their productions (usually turning it down until it's barely audible, but that's another topic! )

Hey! We have some of the best engineered barely audible music placements on the planet!

[mazz]

Which is why checking mixes at very soft levels is crucial!! If your mix falls apart at low levels, it won't get used!

Seriously!!

[Casey H]

Which is why checking mixes at very soft levels is crucial!! If your mix falls apart at low levels, it won't get used!

Seriously!!

Yes!