When DJ.Studio changes the tempo or key of a track, it has to stretch or shift the audio. The Pitch mode decides how it does that, and how the track sounds. You set it per track, in the Track tab of the Studio.
You may also be looking for: pitch mode, repitch, re-pitch, beat slice, vinyl, key lock, master tempo, formant, chipmunk, metallic sound, robotic sound, flanger, Elastique Pro, Rubberband, time stretch.
Quick answers
Question | Answer |
Where do I change the pitch mode? | Select the track in the Studio, open the Track tab, and choose under Pitch mode. |
Which mode should I use? | Re-pitch for most mixes. Beat slice for drum-heavy tracks with big tempo changes. Vinyl for the most natural sound, if the key may change. |
Which mode keeps the key the same? | Re-pitch and Beat slice. With Vinyl, the key goes up and down with the tempo. |
Vocals sound like chipmunks. | Turn on Formant correction in the Track tab. |
My track sounds metallic or robotic. | Turn off Formant correction, or try Elastique Pro. See the FAQ. |
Where to find the settings
In the Studio, put the playhead in the track (or click the track).
Open the Track tab at the bottom of the screen.
Choose a Pitch mode, a Preset and Formant correction on or off.
The setting is for that track only. The default for new tracks is Re-pitch (Settings > Transitions > Track beat mode, Default).
The three pitch modes
Mode | Key when the tempo changes | Best for |
Re-pitch | Stays the same | Most mixes, harmonic mixing |
Beat slice | Stays the same | Drums and percussion, big tempo changes |
Vinyl | Goes up or down with the tempo | The most natural sound, small tempo changes |
Re-pitch
The mode you'll use most, and the default. When the tempo changes, the key stays the same. DJ.Studio first changes the speed (which also changes the pitch), and then stretches the audio back so the key is right again.
Use a Preset to tell DJ.Studio what kind of music it is, so it can stretch it as cleanly as possible (see below).
Beat slice
Cuts the audio into small pieces along the beat grid and moves them to the new tempo, without stretching the sound itself. That keeps drums tight and punchy, even with big tempo changes.
On melodies and vocals, the cuts can sometimes be audible. Make sure the beat grid is right, because Beat slice follows it.
Vinyl
Works like a turntable: faster sounds higher, slower sounds lower. Nothing extra is done to the audio, so it sounds the most natural. But the key changes with the tempo, so it can clash with the next track if the tempo change is big.
Presets
With Re-pitch, the Preset tells DJ.Studio what kind of audio the track is:
Default: works well for most tracks.
Drums: keeps the attack of drum hits and other short sounds as sharp as possible.
Vocals and other melodic presets: keep voices and melodies smooth, at the cost of slightly less sharp drums.
Formant correction
When you raise the key of a vocal, it can start to sound like a chipmunk. Lower it, and it sounds like a monster. That's because the character of the voice (the formants) shifts along with the pitch.
Formant correction puts that character back where it was, so voices still sound natural. It matters most for vocals and for bigger key changes. Turn it on or off in the Track tab.
FAQs
Why does my track sound metallic, robotic or like a flanger after I changed the key or BPM?
Changing the key or tempo means recalculating the audio, and on some tracks, especially vocals, that leaves a metallic or robotic sound. Try these, one at a time, and listen after each step:
Turn off Formant correction in the Track tab. On some tracks, the extra processing causes the sound itself.
Try another Preset, for example Vocals for a vocal track.
Try Elastique Pro. It usually gives far fewer of these artifacts, especially on vocals. Elastique Pro is an extension you buy separately. You can try it free for a week: activate the trial at Settings > Billing, then choose Elastique Pro at Settings > General > Audio Stretcher Engine. You can switch back to Rubberband at any time. Elastique Pro is only used in Re-pitch mode.
Still not good? Make the tempo or key change smaller, or try Vinyl if a small change in key is OK.
This video lets you hear the difference between Elastique Pro and Rubberband:
My drums sound smeared or less punchy after a tempo change.
Set the Preset to Drums, or switch the Pitch mode to Beat slice. Check that the beat grid is right first.
Can I change the default pitch mode for new tracks?
Yes, at Settings > Transitions > Track beat mode. Default is Re-pitch.
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