How to pitch down the audio output?

• Dec 1, 2018 - 10:52

Hi,

I'm working on a score for a tribute band that I play in where all the pitched instruments are tuned down by one semi-tone.

How can I pitch the audio output so that it plays a semitone down (ie the score is in C but the audio output is B)?


Comments

...all the pitched instruments are tuned down by one semi-tone.
Wow!
How do the accordion players manage to do that? ;-)

To listen to audio output lowered by one semi-tone, you can select all notes (Ctrl+A) then press the down arrow once.
This will lower all pitches so playback will be heard 1 semi-tone lower.
Put back when done listening.

In reply to by Jm6stringer

Haha - no this is for keyboards, a guitar and a bass guitar - all of which are tuned down by one semi-tone (ie guitars tuned to Eb). The score needs to remain the same (so C shows as C on the stave) but the audio output of the instruments plays a B.

This is so the other members of the band can read the sheets but also playback the score and hear the correct pitches.

I'll check out the 'Transposing Instruments' thing.

In reply to by dazzathedrummer

This is so the other members of the band can read the sheets but also playback the score and hear the correct pitches.

One way to do this (it's easy for a small ensemble) is to duplicate all the staves via copy/paste, lower the pitches of the duplicate staves, and then hide them.
Also, select all the notes in the original staves and uncheck 'Play' in the Inspector so you don't have 2 bands playing 1 semi-tone apart from each other.

To see this in action: Semi-tone_lower_playback.mscz

Open in MuseScore, click on the very first note in the top staff (and hold the mouse button down) to hear the E5 note. Then start playback and you will notice the difference.
To see the hidden staves press 'I' (or use menu Edit-> Instruments...) and replace all missing check marks in the 'Visible' column.

Regards.

Use the synthesizer and select the Tuning tab and set the tuning of A4 to the pitch for Ab4 which is 415.3 this will change the tuning of everything down 1/2 step. This is essentially what you did when you tuned your guitar to Eb.

In reply to by dazzathedrummer

I don't know about the type of (presumably an electronic) keyboard you are using, but be wary of the glockenspiel, if you are using a real glockenspiel, as changing the Master tuning applies to all instruments.
Everyone will be reading A440 and playing as A415.3 except for the glockenspieler, who will sound as A440 -- unless the music notation is actually written a semi-tone lower for him.

Of course, if the keyboard includes glockenspiel sounds (in addition to harpsichord and organ), then tuning the keyboard to the guitars would take care of this.

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