the Key function in Acid

[SampleScience]

I don't understand it. When I change the key of an Acid project sequence all the sounds change of pitch. It doesn't necesserly sounds any better that the original project in FL Studio.

If someone could explain the concept to me in a simple manner it would be greatly appreciated!

I just don't get it! Maybe it's a function for more traditionnal music composing like jazz, classic orchestral music, etc...

[jancivil]

digital audio is sampled at 'rates' (of division). Two different sample rates, such as 44.1, 48 khz... (without resolving that difference - "conversion") will result in our hearing the sample at different pitch levels (in the ratio here of 147:160 in whole numbers).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sample_rate_conversion

IF Acid defaults to importing 48 khz and it's a CD (44.1) you've imported, there will be a 160:147 speed-up.
Most hosts will have the choice of settings per project to automatically take care of this.

[SampleScience]

I'm not talking about frequency range but about the Key function in Acid. When changing the Key in Acid it change the tonality of all the sounds (except the drums). I just don't see the use of this kind of function for electronic music (techno).

[echophex]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_%28music%29


Please note...your elements within the acid project HAVE to be acidized or assigned a base key or making changes to the key will not have any effect (or rather "sounds pretty much the same")

[echophex]

When you change the key of a project your shifting the PITCH of all notes up or down to fit into another musical scale.
(example: The guitar player does this essentially when he uses a capo.)

Again in order for this to work, the elements have to be tagged with the base key information.

[satYatunes]

if you don't wanna change the key of the song or don't wanna use the key function while previewing the loops, just set it to "None"...

[jancivil]

I'm not talking about frequency range but about the Key function in Acid. When changing the Key in Acid it change the tonality of all the sounds (except the drums). I just don't see the use of this kind of function for electronic music (techno).

Ah. I wasn't reading all that well yesterday apparently. I blame pot.

the function of key is applicable to music PER SE. A different pitch level applies here. All tones more complex than a simple sine generate harmonics. E will give you a whole_new_harmonic_series than C did.

That's reality (physics), there's no help for it.

edit: 'tonality' in your post isn't crystal clear to me. In any case: the above statement applies.
To a musician, the need for a new key contains the fact it will sound different in the new key. Tonally, in terms of color. The same changes, the same song is physically changed by *transposition*. The same internal, or intervallica relationships hold, but each tone has a new basis in terms of molecules vibrating in air.

See: harmonic series, overtones, acoustics.

[whyterabbyt]

I don't understand it. When I change the key of an Acid project sequence all the sounds change of pitch.

The samples all effectively have an embedded(*) or assumed base pitch. That means if its a loop in C, and your project is in C, then Acid plays it back as it is. If its a loop in E, and your project is in C, it'll play it back higher or lower so that it is transposed to E.
If you then alter the key of your project, it'll change the transposition of your loops to suit.
.

(*) 'proper' Acid loops have the key embedded for example)

[SampleScience]

I don't understand it. When I change the key of an Acid project sequence all the sounds change of pitch.

The samples all effectively have an embedded(*) or assumed base pitch. That means if its a loop in C, and your project is in C, then Acid plays it back as it is. If its a loop in E, and your project is in C, it'll play it back higher or lower so that it is transposed to E.
If you then alter the key of your project, it'll change the transposition of your loops to suit.
.

(*) 'proper' Acid loops have the key embedded for example)

ok, then, if I make a loop how do I know it's in "C" or any other key (when using the piano roll)? Does it means all the notes are played on the same octave? Or it just mean that the first note is in "C"?

[whyterabbyt]

ok, then, if I make a loop how do I know it's in "C" or any other key (when using the piano roll)? Does it means all the notes are played on the same octave? Or it just mean that the first note is in "C"?

if you're making a loop, then you kinda usually decide what key its in at the start, and that dictates the notes you can use.

[DeZeA]

The "KEY" setting reffers to the root note of the song. Eg. if you originally have the key "C", if you modifyi it to "D", Acid will pitch up all your samples by 100cents.

[jancivil]

C to D = 200¢.