Subject:Key Change Problem

Posted by: spinweb

Date:3/6/2005 7:43:55 AM

OK. I have a song's bed all set. guitar parts have been recorded, bass, keys, etc. Now I need to sing the thing in F, vs. the G that the song is in. Bummer. What's the best way to do this?

I'm thinking I can save the current file, delete all the recorded parts, i.e., just leave the drums and re-record one guitar rhythm track as a guide for the vocal. Then I record the vocal in F and render that loop. Does that make it so I can hit the "+" key and raise that vocal to G? I sure wish recorded tracks could easily have their key changed.

Am I missing something? Perhaps an easier way?

Thanks,

Eric

Subject:RE: Key Change Problem

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:3/6/2005 1:46:57 PM

> Perhaps an easier way?

If you go into the properties of your recorded tracks and change the Stretch property from Don’t transpose to the actual key of the recording; you can just change the key of the song to F, sing your vocal part and then change the key of the song back to G. (make sure you also set the key for your vocals to F after you record them)

~jr

Subject:RE: Key Change Problem

Reply by: spinweb

Date:3/7/2005 8:33:29 AM

Hmm. There are a lot of tracks to change, but ok, let's say I set them all to "F" and sing my part, don't I want to change the vocal to "G" at the end? You said "F". The whole issue is that I want the vocal in "G" and can't really cut it there.

-Eric

Subject:RE: Key Change Problem

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:3/7/2005 8:57:33 AM

I just realized that if you recorded the parts as One-Shots, what I suggested won’t work because ACID doesn’t timestretch One-Shots. This approach will only work for Beatmapped tracks and Loops.

Let me explain what I was suggesting anyway:

1. Set your project key to G (optional at this point)
2. Set each Loop and Beatmapped track to the key of G
3. Now set you project key to F (all the tracks will now plan in the key of F)
4. Record your vocal part
5. Set your vocal part to the key of F (because that’s what key it really is in)
6. Set the project back to the key of G (and your vocals will get transposed to G because ACID knows they were originally in the key of F)

Does that make sense now? You would have to manually pitch-shift any One-Shots so it’s a lot more work that I originally figured.

I think you had the better idea. Make a guitar and drums version in F, sing the vocals, then import that into the full version and pitch-shift it up. That seems like the simplest solution.

~jr

Subject:RE: Key Change Problem

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:3/7/2005 10:27:10 AM

Hi Eric,

What you can also do is start a new project in the key of F using the same tempo as the original project, record your vocal as a One-shot, then make sure the recording is ACIDized properly with the right key and tempo info by rendering to a new track. (CTRL+M with the "render loop region only" option enabled. Solo the vocal track if there's more than one track and be sure the Loop Region is isolated over the vocals you want to keep.)

Once that's done, you can then add this vocal to your existing project in the key of G. Remember that some material doesn't sound too natural if it's stretched too far. Your voice in F might sound unnatural in G.

Iacobus
-------
RodelWorks - Original Music for the Unafraid
Buy Instant ACID by JohnnyRoy and mD!
mD at ACIDplanet

Subject:RE: Key Change Problem

Reply by: spinweb

Date:3/7/2005 2:00:36 PM

Thanks lacobus.

I'm definitely not going for the Alvin & the Chipmunks sound. :) I can *almost* sing it in G, but it sounds forced and reaching. Hopefully, in the future I'll figure this out before I record the bed!

Eric