pitch shift , but not MELODYNE

[Robert Hale]

I want to apply a little pitch shift to a couple of  tracks, but clicking PITCH SHIFT won't load to the channel. Instead it shows another one named MELODYNE. And that leads to a limited demo, or a purchase.   I am new to Cakewalk, and have not uploaded any effects. If Cakewalk will not offer me PITCH SHIFT,  where do you recommend I look for it?

[Robert Hale]

I just found another PITCH SHIFT listed under UNCATEGORIZED. 

But the program shuts down when I try to drag the effect.

Edited April 24, 2023 by Robert Hale

[Terry Kelley]

Try Melda Productions MPitch. Also Pitchproof.

[Promidi]

What kind of tracks are those “couple of  tracks”? Are they MIDI (routed to a synth) or straight audio?

[Robert Hale]

hello and thank you.

they are audio tracks.

[bitflipper]

Select the clip(s), go to Process -> Transpose and enter the number of semitones to shift the pitch.

[Terry Kelley]

Oh, I thought they wanted a slight shift, not a transpose.

[abacab]

Kilohearts has a free Pitch Shifter (+/- semitones) audio plugin in their free "Essentials" collection. https://kilohearts.com/products/kilohearts_essentials

"Are you out of tune? Do you want to be? Either way, Pitch Shifter uses grain delay to bring the pitch where you want it to be. Or at least somewhere else from where it already is. The Pitch Shifter will adjust the pitch of the input signal up or down."

https://kilohearts.com/products/pitch_shifter

The collection also contains a Frequency Shifter (in Hz). "Frequency shifter will shift all the frequencies in the input signal up or down by a certain amount. This kind of shifting will ruin the harmonic content of the input signal, making it sound dissonant."

https://kilohearts.com/products/frequency_shifter

[brandon]

On 4/24/2023 at 5:56 PM, Terry Kelley said:

Oh, I thought they wanted a slight shift, not a transpose.

This process works really well - I usually use it to create harmonies.  The results are very good. 

[Robert Hale]

Thanks to all for contributions regarding pitch shift.

1. I am attempting to try the advice of Bobby Owsinski  https://bobbyowsinski.com/  to make two more identical copies of a vocal. Raise the left  channel 3 hz and lower the right channel 3 hz. Leave the center channel unaltered.
2. Cakewalk  will crash each time I attempt to put pitch shift into a track.

[bitflipper]

I have done that in Sonar, but it was years ago under 8.5 and I don't recall the exact steps anymore. Nowadays, I would prefer to use a plugin designed specifically for that purpose, which is much more convenient and saves having to create two extra tracks.

Some plugins that do "micropitch" shifting off the top of my head...

Little Alterboy by SoundToys

VocalBender by Waves

Micropitch from Eventide

Provocative from Boz Digital Labs (recommended)

ElastiquePitch by zplane

There are many more, including some that are free. Google "pitch shifter".

There are also a number of delays that offer pitch-shifting in the feedback loop, which creates a similar but more subtle effect. My favorite for that is tritik's tkdelay. Also note that this effect is basically what a chorus plugin does. I can get a similar result with Ubermod from Valhalla (a great plugin that should be in everybody's toolbox, imo).

 

 

[John Vere]

 

1 hour ago, bitflipper said:

I would prefer to use a plugin designed specifically for that purpose, which is much more convenient and saves having to create two extra tracks.

This is my go to for background vocals and guitars,, but be careful, it can make your mix out of phase and put the Correlometer off the map.  But makes for a huge stereo effect. The pitch trick is more what you get from using a chorus, that's why they are called Modulation effects. 

https://polyversemusic.com/products/wider/

[mettelus]

I tried to see the advice you were referencing but that site exploded into a massive popup on my phone so I closed it. Just so we are all on the same page, what are you trying to achieve?

For future reference, it is sometimes best to focus on the goal rather than a workflow. Some will rabbit hole you and make you think that theirs is the only solution, even when simpler and more effective ways exist. When you focus on the purpose you will often get several workflows (all viable) and then you can pick and choose what works best for you.

[Lord Tim]

If I'm remembering that Pitch Shift plugin properly, that's a Magix DX plugin, with no real UI. It doesn't sound great at the best of times but will make your audio go wildly out of sync unless you click Preserve Duration... and then it turns to absolute noisy garbage. Likely Cakewalk is quitting because it sucks so bad. 🤨

Some MUCH better suggestions here in the replies for sure. I personally use Waves Doubler for this, but I'm sure there's more than a few free ones mentioned here that will do the job just as well.

[bitflipper]

Am I just mis-remembering, or did Sonar not have a pitch shift feature that let you specify the shift amount in cents?

I remember using the clone-and-shift technique, but don't remember using a plugin for it back then. 

[Lord Tim]

Yeah that was some ancient DX plugin from the CWPA (or early SONAR?) days, if I remember right. I'd be surprised if it sounds anywhere near as good as the in-built tools (loop construction view, offline transpose, etc.) or any modern pitch related plugins. Happy to be schooled on this by Someone Smarter Than Me though!

[sjoens]

I've used Cakewalk's "Pitch Shifter" DX (-12.00 to 12.00) and Graillon free version which uses automation envelopes to vary pitch throughout the track. Also has formant control.

Edited April 27, 2023 by sjoens