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Forums :: General Discussion

amazing slow downer and song keys

5 replies [Last post]
Sat, 08/27/2011 - 14:14
albert
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Joined: 05/03/2010

I saw on one of Dave's lessons with Joe that you can use the amazing slow downer to change the key
of a song.
Does this mean if you load any song into this software you can know the key and change it
using the software.
If this correct can anyone tell me how to find out what key a song is in using this software and
also how can you change the key of the song so you can jam using cross harp
I saw in the help screen that you can do this by change in the pitch.
If a song is in the key of E how do you change it to the key of C
Al

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Sat, 08/27/2011 - 15:49
#1
hank stefaniak
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Teacher 6Level 9
Joined: 12/20/2009
Amazing Slowdowner

Hi Al - Amazing Slowdowner can do that with some "buts"

It won't give you the key but you can figure that out as per Davids responses to a similar question on the forum. Once you know the key you simply adjust the pitch slider up or down (eft or right). It changes the key in semitones. If you are familiar with piano keyboard this is a snap - I'm not but I use a keyboard layout image to help me.

eg - to change a song in G to A, you go up 2 semitones (G - Ab - A). To from F to A you would move the pitch slider up 4 semitones. The semitone steps are C - Db -D - Eb - E - F - Gb - G - Ab - A - Bb - B - C

One of the buts is that if you change it too much, it starts to sound progressively worse - like E to C which would be raising it 8 semitones or lowering it 4 semitones. The tone or timbre of the track and especially a vocal is weird.

I use it a fair bit but rarely if ever go more than 3 steps or semitones. My apologies if this is not clear but feel free to ask and I'll try to answer or if someone else can jump in, great. Good luck with it. Between the change of key and of speed, I find this really useful.

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Sat, 08/27/2011 - 16:14
#2
Taylor Ward
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Teacher 3Level 7
Joined: 06/03/2011
Hank, Do you know where that

Hank,

Do you know where that forum post is where David responds to the similar question?

-Taylor

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Sat, 08/27/2011 - 16:50
#3
hank stefaniak
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Teacher 6Level 9
Joined: 12/20/2009
One is in the "Ask David

One is in the "Ask David Barrett" section under the topic "Finding the Key" and he also mentions Joe Tartaglia's Lesson 13/14, the video "How to Figure out the Key of a Song."

Hope this helps. Or are you asking about Amazing Slowdowner? If you punch in amazing slowdowner into the Search box at the top right of the Forum page and hot "Search" it gives all the discussions on Amazing Slowdowner.

If you're looking for some other information, ask away and I'l try to help.

Hank

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Sat, 08/27/2011 - 20:47
#4
Taylor Ward
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Teacher 3Level 7
Joined: 06/03/2011
Nope. Just about the finding

Nope. Just about the finding the key. Thank you,
-Taylor

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Sun, 08/28/2011 - 09:49
#5
hank stefaniak
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Teacher 6Level 9
Joined: 12/20/2009
Finding the key

I think its been covered somewhere else and there's lots of ways to do so but here's what I do to identify the key of a song I'm listening to.

I listen carefully and hum the root note as I'm listening - like the root note during the I chord. Then I take my C harp and try to find that note. The first three blow holes are easy - C, E, G. The first six draw holes D, G, B, D, F, A. That probably takes care of 95% of songs. Sometimes the first step bend on 3 draw is needed which gives me a Bb. Then I start to work on which position and grab the harp I want.

I find this easier and quicker than reaching for each harp until I find the right one. It also forces me to learn the names of each note on the C harp as per David's tip to learn them!!

It works for me but I know others have their own method, Just sharing for those who are exploring to find their own method like I was a while back.

Keep enjoying!!

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