• SONAR
  • Loop Transpose Rule and Theory?
2013/04/12 18:11:56
Keepitreal
Hello, I have a ton of loops, and finding BPM is not hard. I can also find the key of the loop pretty easy. However, what are the rules for transposing? I have a transpose chart, a couple actually. However, what are the rules governing Major and Minor? Lets say a loop is in A minor, but the song I am working is in the key of D minor. I want to use the A minor loop in a D minor song. Do I only concern myself with the letter of the Key,as the root? (A and D) for my transpose while looking at the chart, chart shows that to go from A up to D is 5 semitones/halfsteps. However, what about going from a major to a minor, stuff like that? What is the best way to do all this? Yes, I am also studying music theory, got a ways to go.
2013/04/12 18:16:45
Bristol_Jonesey
Changing from a major to a minor (or vice versa) is, as far as my limited knowledge of looping goes, impossible because you're changing the relative intervals between the notes that make up each triad.

Instead of 1 -3 - 5 you want 1 - 3b - 5

You can change any loop's root note, but if it's already e.g. a major then you're stuck with it being a major.



2013/04/12 18:29:51
garrigus
Unless you have Celemony Melodyne, which lets you break apart the loop into notes and edit them. This is for solo instruments, however.

Scott

--
Scott R. Garrigus - http://garrigus.com - SONAR X2 Power! - http://garrigus.com/?SonarX2Power
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series: http://garrigus.com/?PowerBooks
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar ProAudioTutor video tutorial series: http://garrigus.com/?ProAudioTutor
* Publisher of the DigiFreq free music technology newsletter: http://digifreq.com/?DigiFreq
* Publisher of the NewTechReview free consumer technology newsletter: http://newtechreview.com/?NewTechReview

2013/04/13 07:40:44
Keepitreal
I have Melodyne Editor updated, with Direct Note Access. However, I would just use loops that are in the same major or minor. Anyone else? Thanks for the ideas, and info so far.
2013/04/13 12:53:35
sharke
If you don't want to change individual notes in the loop then you can try getting a match by transposing the loop to a chord that's in the key of your desired target key. 

For example, let's say you have a loop in Gmin, and you want to use it in a song that's in E major.


First work out the chords that are part of the key of E major: Emaj, F#min, G#min, Amaj, Bmaj, C#min, D#dim. 


So if you wanted to use that Gmin loop in the Emaj song, you could transpose it to F#min, G#min or C#min. Of course whether any of them would sound "right" in the song's context is entirely subjective. 
© 2026 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1

Use My Existing Forum Account

Use My Social Media Account