Pitch Shift - Akai DD1500 User Manual

20 - UTILITIES - DSP FUNCTIONS

PITCH SHIFT

PITCH SHIFT allows you to re-tune a cue to a different pitch whilst retaining its original
length. This is normally used for music cues for transposing them to a new pitch but it can
be used for other applications if you wish. For example, you may have a deep, car door
slam sound effect from a limousine that is inappropriate against the visuals which shows
maybe a small family hatchback. In this case, you could tune the cue up a few semitones
to achieve a more appropriate effect. The process is also useful as a special effect on
dialogue. With upwards pitch shift you can get the 'mickey mouse' or 'helium' effect and
with downwards pitch shift, you can make dialogue deeper and maybe more imposing.
Whichever you choose, the length of the processed cue will be the same as the original
but at a different pitch.
The PITCH SHIFT process is pretty much the same as for TIMESTRETCH. Pressing
PITCH in the main DSP page will give you this screen:
You may name the new cue to be created by the process if you wish but a default name
is given where "PS" is appended to the last two characters in the name. You may also
select the disk the processed cue will be placed on (although the same restrictions apply
in that if placed on a disk other than the project disk, that disk will have to be present to
ensure correct playback of the project).
As with TIMESTRETCH, a series of presets are used with the ADJ(ust) control and you
should select a preset whose name roughly describes the type of material you wish to
pitch shift.
The SEMITONES field allows you to tune the processed version over a range of +/-12
semitones (i.e. +/- one octave).
The process is much the same as for TIMESTRETCH. Mark and IN and OUT point to
select the region you wish to re-tune (or use SELECT CUE to select a whole cue).
Because the cue will stay the same length, no LOCK TO or SLIP TYPE fields are provided
and the cue will simply be transposed according to the setting in the SEMITONES field.
To process the cue, simply press the flashing EXECUTE key. As with TIMESTRETCH, you
will see this progress bar:
Press EXIT to abort the process if you wish.
At the end of the process you will see this display:
If you complete the process, the processed version will replace the original. Use PLAY
IN>OUT to check the results. If you are not happy with the results, press UNDO to undo
the process. This will replace the processed version with the original and you may try
again.
Page 202 Version 2.00 - March, 1996