DownstepHow to change the key of a song
To change the key of a recording you need pitch shifting: it moves all the notes up or down and keeps the speed. In Downstep you move the Pitch slider one semitone at a time, up to 12 up or down. The speed doesn't change, and the setting is saved with the song.
Semitones in two lines
A semitone is the smallest step between two notes on a piano or a guitar: from one fret to the next. Twelve semitones make an octave. So "−2" means the whole song moves two frets lower, and the chords move with it: a song in E becomes a song in D.
When it's useful
- To sing in your range. If the song is too high or too low, move it one semitone at a time until it sits well in your voice.
- To play along in standard tuning. Many records are tuned a half step down. Raise the song by one semitone and you can play along without retuning.
- To practice the version your band plays. If the band plays a song two semitones lower for the singer, everyone can practice that version at home.
- To join two songs. In a medley, move the second song to the key of the first, and practice the change.
Step by step with Downstep
- 1Import the song
An MP3, M4A, WAV or FLAC file, or a YouTube link (only for content you have the rights to).
- 2Change the pitch
Move the Pitch slider, or use the buttons to go one semitone at a time, up to 12 up or down.
- 3Leave the speed at 100%, or change it too
The two settings are independent.
- 4Keep it
Downstep saves the pitch of each song. You can also save a preset with a name, like “Whole song −2”, and send a backup to your band, so everyone has the same version.
What to expect from the sound
One or two semitones usually sound natural. With bigger changes, voices start to sound different: higher ones get thin, lower ones get dark. Most apps of this kind work the same way. For practicing, it's usually fine.
Do you want to slow it down too? Here is how to slow down a song without changing the pitch.
Try it with Downstep
Free, for Mac and Windows. No account, and your songs stay on your computer.
Guides
- How to slow down a song without changing the pitch
Time-stretching explained, and how slow to go. - How to change the key of a song
To sing in your range, or to play along in standard tuning. - How to learn a song by ear with an A-B loop
Repeat the hard part, slow it down, then speed it up.