Question: How Do You Convert Milliseconds to Samples?
When recording multiple sources -- and especially in live recording situations -- you'll sometimes need to apply a software-based sample delay to align multiple sources. These types of delays may have the option to set your delay based on milliseconds in order to make the calculations easy on you. But many software packages, most notably Apple's Logic, don't offer a millisecond option. You'll have to do the math yourself. But fear not! It's not that hard -- even for someone like me who failed Algebra in high school (true story).
Answer: In order to calculate sample length in milliseconds, you'll first need to know the sample rate of the recording you're mixing. For example's sake, we'll be saying that the recording we're mixing is at 44.1kHz, which is standard CD-quality digital. You may be using something higher if you're mixing at 48- or 96kHz.
The formula is quite simple. It is: milliseconds times sample rate. For example, if your delay between a pair of room microphones and a soundboard feed is 17 milliseconds (representing 17 feet of delay), your formula would be 17 X 44.1.
In this case, you would enter a sample delay of 749.70 samples into the closest source. This would then time-align the sources.
It's also equally easy to calculate how many milliseconds are in a number of samples. In this case, you'll use the following formula: samples divided by sample rate. Using our above example, you would do 749.70 divided by 44.1, which brings us back to the original number, 17.
Using these simple formulas, you can easily hand-calculate the relationship between samples and milliseconds. This will come in very, very handy when mixing -- especially for Logic users!
The formula is quite simple. It is: milliseconds times sample rate. For example, if your delay between a pair of room microphones and a soundboard feed is 17 milliseconds (representing 17 feet of delay), your formula would be 17 X 44.1.
In this case, you would enter a sample delay of 749.70 samples into the closest source. This would then time-align the sources.
It's also equally easy to calculate how many milliseconds are in a number of samples. In this case, you'll use the following formula: samples divided by sample rate. Using our above example, you would do 749.70 divided by 44.1, which brings us back to the original number, 17.
Using these simple formulas, you can easily hand-calculate the relationship between samples and milliseconds. This will come in very, very handy when mixing -- especially for Logic users!