Need Key Change EZ instructions

[snoopyjc]

So I just installed Reaper and all I want to do is a drastic key change on one of my songs (say up 5 half steps for instance).

So I want to Open a MP3 file on my hard drive, change the key, and then save to a new Mp3 file.

Can somebody give me step-by-step instructions?

I got stuck doing this. I'm a Sound Forge user and this is a simple operation there, but it does a terrible job unless it's only a small change.

Thanks much!
--joe (@snoopyjc)

[ivansc]

Hi and welcome to the forums!
You are trying to use what amounts to a perfect storm audio - wise.
mp3s being a lossy file format, you already reduced the quality just by using MP3.
Add to that you are trying to change the pitch of the whole track by 2.5 tones ( a pretty huge stretch for audio even in a nossless format) and you are gonna struggle.

Whilst there are ways of doing this within reaper, I really cant recommend it.

In fact I cant think of one piece of software that will give you a clean reliable pitch shidft of that size on an mp3 file especially if it is an mp3 file saved at one of the lower bitrates generally founf on free backing tracks online.
I am assuming this is what you want to do the change for?

It might be worth seeing if you can get the same file from a source that has its own pitch variation options on site or better yet find the file in standard MIDI file format, transpose that & then use virtual instruments (plenty of decent free or very cheap ones out there) to get to the key you need.

My apologies if it isnt backing tracks you are looking to change!

[snoopyjc]

It's not for a backing track, it's a track to let the musicians learn the song in the desired key of the vocalist. I am using Sound Forge to do the pitch change now and it does a terrible job. Reaper does a lot better, but I have no idea how to save the pitch changed audio, so instead I played it with Reaper at the new pitch, and recorded it at the same time using Sound Force with my PC's "what you hear" input as audio. There must be a better way! So can you please just give me the instructions without questioning what I'm doing?

TIA,
--joe

[slipstick]

If you've already done the key change in Reaper, can play it through the master output and you're happy with the results then can't you just use File/Render and choose your file type etc?

Steve

[wolfdogg]

I do this all the time for my band as we play everything a half step low.
Insert a new track into Reaper. Pull your mp3 into the track.
Right-click your audio file. Select 'Item Properties'.
Adjust the 'Pitch Adjust (semitones)' as needed. For 5 half steps up, put a 5 in there. For a 1/2 step down, put a -1 in there.
Go to your File menu as Render as a new .mp3.

[snoopyjc]

Thanks so much Wolfdogg, this is exactly what I needed!!

As an example of how much better Reaper is at this task, here is Blue Christmas moved up 10 half-steps (yes, this is the key our soprano singer wanted it in):

http://www.orost.org/Reaper/

Check out the Reaper version vs the terrible SoundForge version!

Just one more question - is there a way to have it not save the .reapeaks file?

Thanks again so much!

[wolfdogg]

Originally Posted by snoopyjc

Thanks so much Wolfdogg, this is exactly what I needed!!

As an example of how much better Reaper is at this task, here is Blue Christmas moved up 10 half-steps (yes, this is the key our soprano singer wanted it in):

http://www.orost.org/Reaper/

Check out the Reaper version vs the terrible SoundForge version!

Just one more question - is there a way to have it not save the .reapeaks file?

Thanks again so much!

You do realize that putting a -2 in there will put the song in the same key as +10, right?

No way not to save the .repeaks but you can delete them and it won't hurt anything.

[Dex]

You can at least change the default folder for .repeaks files so they don't clutter up your working directories. It's somewhere in the options.

[vanhaze]

Reaper Preferences > General > Paths > "store all peak caches in alternate path"