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Changing the Key of the Jam tracks…

Home › Forums › Guitar Techniques and General Discussions › Changing the Key of the Jam tracks…

  • This topic has 8 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 5 months ago by Brian.
Viewing 8 reply threads
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    Posts
    • July 22, 2010 at 4:49 pm #3760
      Germissile
      Participant

        Hi,

        Hope I’m not stepping on anyone’s toes here, Brian ;o) , but I had a thought on the different jam tracks that you have, in fairness, kindly put up here for us…
        I occasionally use a piece of software called Audacity, it’s a free download and is pretty handy for a number of things…
        Recently I’ve been using it for playing your jam tracks as you can loop a particular part or change the tempo if needed…
        This was all fine until I saw the “Change Pitch” option. Basically this option allows us to change the key that the track is being played in, moving a jam track in E to G or G# even!!
        I just though that it would be a helpful tool for everyone to try your lessons in other keys…
        Great way to get to know the fretboard…

        I’m probably not explaining it very well but I’ll do a video and put it up on You Tube at some point…

        For the mean time here is a step by step…
        1. Download Audacity from here :http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
        2. Install, duh ;o)))
        3. Open one of the downloaded jam tracks using Audacity.
        4. Select the entire track, (ctrl a).
        5. Go to “Effect” and then down to “Change Pitch”…
        6. Put in the original pitch and change to a new pitch that you want to practice at…
        7. Rock on!

        Again, Brian, I hope I’m not stepping on your toes here!!
        Ger

      • July 22, 2010 at 5:03 pm #7346
        Brian
        Participant

          Not stepping on my toes at all, I think that’s a fantastic idea. In fact, I was just thinking that I need to start offering these in multiple keys for the very reason you stated, to help people get to know the fretboard better. Hmmm, now that I think about it, it would be pretty easy to offer a standard 12 bar blues jam track in every key. I can create a place on the site that users could download them ( in whatever key they need ). Awesome idea Ger.

        • July 23, 2010 at 8:56 am #7347
          Germissile
          Participant

            Excellent!!!

            The only problem with my method of changing key is that, of course, the sound quality goes a little south!!
            I probably should have mentioned that!!! ;o)

          • September 3, 2010 at 9:20 pm #7361
            BluesierByGuitar
            Participant

              There’s a program for both Mac and PC called Transcribe! which does pitch changing, tempo changing and note determination. It works with many media formats including Quicktime video. If you want to learn songs by ear then this is the best tool I’ve come across. It costs $50 but is worth every penny.

              BTW I have no affiliation other than a satisfied user :~)

              BBG

            • March 8, 2011 at 2:51 am #7452
              Rickey
              Keymaster

                I bought a BB King play-along book that had a software disk in called “SlowDowner.” It allows you to slow down music without any loss of quality or pitch so can learn/practice the licks being played. Then, you can start to speed up the track until you’re able to play at normal speed.

                SlowDowner

              • March 21, 2011 at 10:57 pm #7472
                Rickey
                Keymaster

                  I would like to develop my ear by determining what key a particular jam track is being played if I can fine the answer .

                  Great forum and I can ask some pretty weird questions .

                  Gil

                • March 25, 2012 at 9:54 pm #7898
                  bluesbird
                  Participant

                    @BluesierByGuitar wrote:

                    There’s a program for both Mac and PC called Transcribe! which does pitch changing, tempo changing and note determination. It works with many media formats including Quicktime video. If you want to learn songs by ear then this is the best tool I’ve come across. It costs $50 but is worth every penny.

                    +1. I’ve been using Transcribe! for about a year now and just love it.

                  • April 4, 2012 at 4:59 pm #7933
                    Rickey
                    Keymaster

                      Hi
                      Jr Member mentioned an app–slowdowner? Well the world famous VLC media player (plays anything believe me) has an arrow at each end of the time indicator line. If you click the left it slows the vid and the audio without changing the pitch. Click the right and it speeds ot up. And its free!

                      Silverstrummer

                    • April 4, 2012 at 6:56 pm #7935
                      Brian
                      Participant

                        Thanks Silverstrummer – I’ve used VLC Player for years and didn’t know about that feature.

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