Changing the key

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revnice1
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2011/07/29 19:31:40 (permalink)

Changing the key

I had a song ready, female vocalist showed up and the whole thing was no good, wrong key.

I can transpose MIDI notes and regenerate the audio but Guitar picking at the first position that involves a lot of open strings doesn't sound very good bumped up 5 or 6 semi tones, for example.

Seems to me you're faced with doing the song again. I can't think of another way to make all instruments sound natural than to re-write it.

Anyone got tricks or tips or suggestions?

Thanks - rev


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    Chappel
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    Re:Changing the key 2011/07/29 19:40:57 (permalink)
    So you are asking how to raise the pitch of recorded audio? Or are you asking for alternate methods of transposing Midi data?
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    revnice1
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    Re:Changing the key 2011/07/29 20:09:25 (permalink)
    Neither, it was kind of a dumb post. I realized I knew the answer as soon as I clicked Submit.

    If you want to change the key from E to C (i.e. change the pitch of everything) - transposing some things could spoil the composition.

    For example, if you transpose a MIDI guitar picking part from E to C, the arpeggio won't sound good bumped up 8 semi-tones.

    You're going to have to re-write the arpeggio using notes found in the first position.



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    Kev999
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    Re:Changing the key 2011/07/29 20:20:02 (permalink)
    revnice1

    ...if you transpose a MIDI guitar picking part from E to C, the arpeggio won't sound good bumped up 8 semi-tones.
    Maybe better down 4 rather than up 8.


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    Chappel
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    Re:Changing the key 2011/07/29 20:34:00 (permalink)
    You can try transposing the Midi track in its properties. And if you're going from E to C you can also transpose down. That might sound much more natural.


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    daveny5
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    Re:Changing the key 2011/07/29 23:09:24 (permalink)
    It's called planning: find out what key the singer wants before recording the tracks. 

    "Gee, I wrote this whole arrangement in A and you sing it in G?" Oops! Totally unprofessional. 
    post edited by daveny5 - 2011/07/29 23:10:29

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    markno999
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    Re:Changing the key 2011/07/30 15:06:13 (permalink)
    Dave,

    Big fan of planning myself but maybe the composition was done before knowing who the singer would be???  I personally can't sing at all so have a number of friend singers that I do projects with.   I might start working on a song I think is interesting without knowing for sure which person in my arsenal will be singing or what key it would sound best in with that particular singer.  The result of that final decision on key and singer is call "improvising" I think.

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