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Why did my recorder split one long take into several WAV files?
Published by Take & Track
Some recorders automatically start a new file at a per-file size limit, even when the card has plenty of free space. Look up your recorder’s format and rollover setting, then check the join and the combined duration.
Why additional tracks move the split earlier
A six-channel, 48 kHz, packed 24-bit recording produces 864,000 bytes per second. At that rate, a recorder set to split at 2,000,000,000 bytes would reach its limit in about 38 minutes 35 seconds. Two channels at the same settings would take about 1 hour 56 minutes. These are illustrative thresholds. Headers and the device’s definition of its limit affect the actual boundary.
Conventional RIFF/WAVE uses a limited-size length field. Other formats, including RF64, can store larger recordings. The first-generation Sound Devices MixPre manual documents automatic rollover at its 4 GB file limit. Check the documentation for the exact model used on your take.
Reassemble the take without hiding a gap
Copy all segments and keep the original names. Import them at their native sample rate, order them by take and segment, and place the next segment immediately after the previous one. Use clip duration or embedded timestamps when available to check the combined length.
Listen across the join with fades disabled. A gap or overlap warrants a look at the timestamps, adjacent filenames and recorder log before applying a crossfade. If the join is intact, a crossfade can actually obscure an otherwise continuous word or transient.