Frequency Change Question

[Infinity]

I'm not sure if i'm posting in the right section for this question but anyways.

How exactly do I change the frequency of my music and or note A to 432hz?

[kozikowski]

From A 440 where it is now? It's the Change tools under Effects. Change Pitch, Change Speed, Change Tempo.

Koz

[Infinity]

I'm new to this program and sound stuff in general and more detailed explanation would be appreciated/direction.

Would changing the project rate do the trick? the song i'm editing is at 44100hz originally so would changing it to 43200hz do it?

[billw58]

If you want to change the pitch of the music without changing the speed, the Change Pitch effect is what you want.

http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Change_Pitch

Put 440 in the "Frequency from" box and 432 in the "to" box.

If you change the sampling rate of the track (using the Track Drop-down Menu), not the project, the speed of the track will change as well as the pitch.

-- Bill

[Infinity]

Ok thanks, when i try to change the from and to boxes it won't let me, I have to copy and paste the numbers I want. Also, so for what I want with the song being at 432hz, does the project rate being 44100hz make it not a true 432hz?

[steve]

when i try to change the from and to boxes it won't let me, I have to copy and paste the numbers I want.

The "From" box is automatically filled in by the effect attempting to detect the note at the start of the selection. Depending on the actual audio it may not be successful in finding the frequency. The first box is not intended to be editable even though it looks like it is (bug 309).

How exactly do I change the frequency of my music and or note A to 432hz?

Why do you need to change it? (the reason will probably be an important factor in "how" to change it).
A standard "A" is 440 Hz.

[Infinity]

432hz is apparently more in harmony with life itself and is said to have positive effects on the individual that is listening.

[steve]

Use the Change Speed effect and change the speed by -1.818182 %
That will slow the track down very slightly so that an original pitch of 440 Hz will play at 432 Hz.

The way to calculate the % change is:
100 x (new frequency - original frequency)/original frequency
so for 440 Hz > 432 Hz that is:
100 x (432 - 440)/440 = 100 x 8/440 = -1.818182

[iwilliam]

Not only will this not allow me to change what is in (either) input box, but any time I try to change one setting at the bottom, it flips the "down" button (at the top) to "up," which as you can imagine is purely infuriating when the numbers you've input in the bottom also indicate a down shift.

I say this whole plugin is buggy.

I have no idea how so many people are allegedly using audacity for this conversion when it doesn't seem to work. Maybe with the "slow down" method (thank you for that, btw) but that would further alter the sound of the song.


I guess my only option is to use a different DAW software. Oh well, I've been needing to set that stuff up, anyway. Why do audacity plugins seem more iffy than when I first started using it? Maybe that's just my memory.....

[steve]

I presume that you are talking about the "Change Pitch" effect?
If you've not used it for a while, perhaps you need to refresh your memory about the operating instructions:
http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/change_pitch.html

Note that it says: "If modifying by frequency, modify only the "to". "
If the "To" frequency is less than the "from" frequency, then that is a downward shift in frequency.
If the "To" frequency is greater than the "from" frequency then that is an upward shift in frequency.

Th disadvantage of using the Change Speed effect is that it causes some audible distortions.
The "Sliding Time Scale / Pitch Shift" effect is much higher sound quality: http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/sl ... shift.html