Varispeed Workaround

[TedPiano]

Hi everyone,

Bit pushed for time so sorry if this has been covered before.

Need to slow a track down for a vocalist and then speed back up to original tempo. So far the vocals are locked into the recorded tempo and don't match the raised tempo. Any suggestions/directions would really help.

Thanks

Best

Ed

[S.L.I.P.]

I don't know of a workaround in Cakewalk. I use Reaper for this. You could always download it for free, import a mix of the tracks, and record the vocal using the varispeed control, and export the vocal stem, and import it back into Cakewalk. 

Edited April 9, 2019 by S.L.I.P.

[Craig Anderton]

There are several ways to do variable-speed techniques in CbB, including your particular application. Check out the section in the article titled "Fine-Tuning Varispeed." If you have "The Huge Book of Cakewalk by BandLab Tips," this technique is described starting on page 366.

[TedPiano]

Hi SLIP and Craig,

Thanks so much for the replies. 

SLIP - I've been experimenting with Reaper but the prospect of all the exporting is pretty soul/workflow destroying for me. Also I really like CBB and have a nice little flow going so I'd rather stay on the same page. When I get time I may delve into Reaper a bit deeper but I'd prefer to stay with CBB.

Craig - Thanks so much for all your expert advice and direction to my query. As I prefer CBB I'll try to get this particular technique under my belt. 

Thanks again to you both for very helpful advice and direction

Best

Ed

[djtrailmixxx]

Open the project at its original tempo, bounce all tracks at that tempo , this should imprint the tempo into the bounced clips. In the Track Inspecter (i keyboard shortcut) Set the new clips to Stretch under Groove clip properties. Adjust tempo and pitch to meet singers needs. record vocal and bounce, return to original tempo and pitch, adjust recently recorded vocal Groove clip pitch settings to match the original bounced tracks

In theory, havent done this kind of thing in some time

cw_STRETCH.bmp

[S.L.I.P.]

56 minutes ago, TedPiano said:

I've been experimenting with Reaper but the prospect of all the exporting is pretty soul/workflow destroying for me.

I totally understand, but I've long since given up on the idea that one DAW will do it all for me. Maybe the workaround from djtrailmixxx will work, but sometimes I find that workarounds lead to more frustration. I find it simpler to export a rough mix of my tracks into Reaper, and exporting, and importing the recorded vocal back into Cakewalk, because I know that Reaper's varispeed works incredibly well and will give me the results I'm looking for in a very short period of time. Good luck TedPiano. If you find a workaround that is truly efficient, please let us know. 

[Craig Anderton]

One advantage of the pitch-based approach I mentioned rather than speed-based one is that you can specify how much transposition you want, in semitones and cents.  However I should have asked about how much transposition you wanted to do. The technique I mentioned is optimized for smaller amounts, like a semitone. Otherwise there will be a timbral shift when you pitch back up. However, in many cases, this is considered desirable.

Perhaps an even simpler option, which may not alter timbre as much:

1. Create a premix.

2. Transpose it down x number of semitones with either the DSP function (semitones only) or Melodyne (any shift amount).

3. Sing along with the premix.

4. Transpose the vocal up by x number of semitones with either the DSP  function or Melodyne.

Edited April 9, 2019 by Craig Anderton
Added that the DSP transpose is semitones only