Problem with Trackers, samples played to deep

Elfblood · July 20, 2008, 12:52:56

Hi Community, this is my first Post here, and I have a little Problem with the Modplug Tracker...

I downloaded some samples from various websites, and finished them in Soundforge. Then I tried to start a song in the tracker, but all the samples are played very very deep. Even with the highest octave they still sound a little to deep.
So its impossible to make a nice song with...

If I play the samples in Winamp, Soundforge or any other player they sound right.

I also tried the Skaletracker, but the same Problem...

Also the original, "unpolished" samples are to deep in the Tracker, so its no Soundfroge problem I guess. If i download a module, save the samples within and load them again, they sound right. But everything else is still played to deep...

I tried various wave Formats. PCM, IEEE, 8-32 bit, 8-48Khz. It seems that the lower res samples are played a little bit higher then the 32bit 44Khz samples...

But I just have no clue what to do about this problem...any ideas ?

Thanks alot

Greetings, Elfblood

LPChip · July 20, 2008, 13:37:21

I assume, that with too deep, you mean that the frequency they play is too low, eg: too slow?

In order to combat this, go to the sampletab, and change the frequency. There's a note assigned too. Changing the note one octave up/down will change the entire sample one octave up/down. Using this method, you should be able to get the sample into a decent frequency range.

If that still isn't enough, use the downsample button in the toolbar on the sampletab a few times (not too often, or you'll start loosing quality)

Once done say... 3 times, you'll be able to change the frequency another 3 times.

This especially occurs when you're dealing with quality levels way over what you need to still have a good quality. Say 96khz or higher with perhaps a 32 bit rate.

Really, 44khz, 16bits more than enough to have awesome quality.

96khz will only matter if you do alot with frequencies in the 15khz range and up.

Elfblood · July 20, 2008, 13:44:52

Hi, yes exactly, the frequency is to low...but iam just wondering why the samples are played this way...they still sound cool in winamp. i think its not normal or ?

LPChip · July 20, 2008, 15:42:42

Yes, it has to do with the quality you save your samples in. The higher the quality, the lower the sound will become, because trackers weren't made with high quality in mind.

Just downsample a few times and tune the samples and you can use them like you want.

Elfblood · July 20, 2008, 15:44:58

K, I'll try it this way. Thx.

maleek · July 20, 2008, 18:22:12

I'll be as blunt as to say that 96khz does very little, if nothing for sound quality. Period. It's the same hype as with megapixels on a digital camera. More megapixels do almost nothing in the end, as with a broader khz-debth.

CD quality is 16 bit 44.1 khz stereo, and in the end even if people use samples that are of higher quality in their DAW (digital audio workstation, like Modplug) they have to downsample it in the end to meet this standard.

KrazyKatz · July 21, 2008, 11:15:58

QuoteI'll be as blunt as to say that 96khz does very little, if nothing for sound quality. Period.

Not quite. Since even frequencies that we can't hear impact the frequencies that we can. Also even when down sampling you will get a better result from higher bit rate and frequency.

Mowadays some music discs are being released as 24bit DVDs, so whilst it may take time, the ordinary 16bit compact disc is on the way out.