Change the Key

Ray Thomas · Post by **Ray Thomas** » 2 Jun 2007 6:36 pm

To those who do recording, if I have a track and would like to change the key with out changing the speed, can it be done, any software available, special equipment required, ect? Any info from those who know would be appreciated.

Dave Boothroyd · Post by **Dave Boothroyd** » 3 Jun 2007 1:03 am

Many recording programs have a pitch shift function.
Some of them offer "intelligent" pitch shifting within a specified diatonic scale transformation.
The very best, like Melodyne, for example, which can run either standalone or as a plug-in for another program, will actually do the job- at a price!
What you need to know is that if you are changing the pitch by more than a couple of semitones, the result sounds almost nothing like the original voice or instrument, unless you know how to use formant correction.
I usually settle for re-recording in a different key, personally.
Cheers
Dave

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 3 Jun 2007 10:09 am

There is a plugin called 'Serato Pitch-n'-time' that will do this for you, but it is very, very expensive.
but I believe it's for Pro Tools only.
check it out:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PitchNTime/

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 3 Jun 2007 1:27 pm

If you have the 2007 version of BIAB, you can use the "chord analyzer" wizard to read in your track and do it's thing. When it's done, you can hit "send to biab"and it will create a biab file of the track you entered. Once you save that file, you can change the key, tempo, etc. That's if you have BIAB2007.
JE:-)>

Jerry Erickson · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 5 Jun 2007 4:28 am

You could try the Amazing Slow Downer program. It allows you to change the pitch and speed. It will not sound like cd quality when you do this, but ifi it's for practicing then it'll be fine.

http://www.ronimusic.com/

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 8 Jun 2007 6:13 am

The newest version of Audacity software does it. It is a free program, and I found it a little awkward to use, but what do you expect for free. I changed the key one step on some soundtracks for a young singer I know, and they turned out really well. The only abnormality I heard was a slight warbling on the bass if you listened closely, but I was surprised how well they did turn out.

I changed another project 2 1/2 steps, and the vocal sounded odd, because the timbre of the voice changed also, but the music still sounded good.

You can also change the speed of a song with this program without changing the key, but I haven't tried that yet.

Just do a google search for Audacity and it will direct you to a download site.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 8 Jun 2007 9:17 pm

What Dave B. and Darvin said.

It can be done within limits.

Some tracks can be changed,
but others may likely need to be rerecorded too.
I generally just do it again from scratch.