Transpose

While the Grabber tools can be used to manually transpose individual MIDI notes, or small groups of notes, the Transpose command in the Event Operations window can be used for entire MIDI tracks and clips. One of the more common uses for Transpose is to change the key for your MIDI tracks. You can define an Edit Group for MIDI tracks that you want to transpose, making sure to exclude any drum tracks from the group so they aren’t transposed. You can even transpose in key.

You can also transpose MIDI notes nondestructively in real-time using MIDI Real-Time Properties. See MIDI Real-Time Properties.

The Transpose command can also be applied to whole clips on Elastic Audio-enabled tracks using the Polyphonic, Rhythmic, or X-Form plug-ins.

For information on Transposing Elastic Audio clips, see Elastic Audio Clip-Based Pitch Shifting.

Elastic Audio pitch transposition is not supported with the Monophonic algorithm.

Elastic Audio pitch transposition cannot be applied to looped clips or clip groups.

Transpose By (Octaves)

Transposes selected MIDI notes by up to +/– 10 octaves, or transposes selected Elastic Audio clips up to +/– 2 octaves.

Transpose By (Semitones)

Transposes selected MIDI notes up or down chromatically by up to +/–127 semitones, or transposes selected Elastic Audio clips up or down chromatically by up to +/– 48 semitones (4 octaves).

Transpose (From and To)

Transposes selected MIDI notes, or selected Elastic Audio clips, by semitones, as expressed by the difference between the source and destination pitches. Transposing from C3 to F#3, for example, transposes the notes up by an augmented fourth (six semitones).

Transpose All Notes To

Transposes all selected notes to the same pitch. Use the slider or the number entry box to enter the pitch to which to transpose all selected notes. This option is not applicable to Elastic Audio clips.

Transpose In Key

Transposes selected notes in key up or down by scale steps (based on the Key Signature ruler). This option is not applicable to Elastic Audio clips.

To transpose MIDI notes:

1 If you will be transposing a group of tracks, enable the Edit Group.

2 Select the MIDI notes you want to transpose.

3 Choose Event > Event Operations > Transpose.

Press Option+T (Mac) or Alt+T (Windows) to open the Transpose window.

4 Select the Transpose option (By, From and To, All Notes To, or In Key).

5 Set the corresponding pitch fields.

With any pitch field selected, play a note on your MIDI controller to automatically enter it as the pitch value.

6 Click Apply.

To transpose all notes on a track down by an octave:

1 With the Selector tool, double-click in the track to select all of its MIDI notes.

2 Choose Event > Event Operations > Transpose.

3 Select the Transpose By option.

4 Enter a value of –1 octave.

5 Click Apply.

To transpose selected notes in key:

1 Select the MIDI notes you want to transpose.

2 Choose Event > Event Operations > Transpose.

3 Select Transpose in Key.

4 Adjust the slider (or type a number) for the number of scale steps (+ or –) by which you want to transpose the selection. For example, to transpose down a third, enter “–2.”

5 Click Apply.

To transpose an Elastic Audio clip:

1 Make sure the clip, or clips, you want to Transpose are on Elastic Audio-enabled tracks.

Elastic Audio pitch transposition is not supported with the Monophonic algorithm.

2 With the Grabber or Selector tool, select the audio clip you want to transpose. Only clips that are completely selected will be affected.

3 Choose Event > Event Operations > Transpose.

4 Do one of the following:

Adjust the Transpose By settings by an amount in semitones and cents.

– or – 

Adjust the Transpose From and To settings by an amount in Semitones and Cents.

The Transpose All Notes To and the Transpose In Key settings can only be applied to MIDI notes. When only audio clips are selected, these options are unavailable.

5 Click Apply.