Reference Guide

1897

Transpose dialog

The Process > Transpose command opens the Transpose dialog box, which allows you to

transpose the pitches of MIDI and audio clips up or down by a fixed number of half-steps. It does so

by changing the MIDI key numbers of note events and by pitch-shifting audio clips. Simply enter the

number of half-steps in the Amount field of the Transpose dialog box; a negative number to

transpose down, a positive number to transpose up. See “To transpose selected events” on page

758.

SONAR can also perform diatonic transposition, which shifts all the notes up and down the major

scale of the current signature by the designated number of steps. For instance, if you specify an

amount of +1 and the key signature is C-major, a C becomes a D (up a whole step), an E becomes

an F (up a half step), and so on. Diatonic transposition assures you that the transposed notes fit with

the original key signature.

As an option, you can choose to transpose selected audio clips along with any selected MIDI clips.

SONAR uses pitch-shifting to perform the transposition. You can transpose audio only a single

octave in either direction (-12 to +12), and you cannot transpose audio when you are using diatonic

transposition.

The Transpose dialog box contains the following fields:

Amount

The number in this field tells SONAR how many half-steps, up or down (depending on whether you

enter a positive or negative number), to transpose the selected data, unless you check the Diatonic

Math check box. If you select the Diatonic Math check box, the number in this field tells SONAR

how many scale steps to transpose the selected data.

Diatonic Math

If you select this check box. SONAR transposes the selected data up or down, but only within the

current key signature.

Transpose Audio

If you select this check box. SONAR transposes any selected audio data up or down, but only by

half-steps, not diatonically.

• Type. Choose the type of audio data you’re transposing (this is a SONAR Producer feature

only).

• Formant scaling. (this is a SONAR Producer feature only) possible values range from -2.000 to

2.000 octaves. Formants give a voice its characteristic sound. You can use the Formant Scaling

value to offset the pitch transposition you’re applying. For example, if you’re transposing the pitch

down, you can raise the formant to try and maintain the characteristics of the sound.