DP: Varispeed Pitch Shifting

by **Umbrella** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:02 pm

This is one way to achieve varispeed-esque pitch shifting in DP. Using this method, shifting -up- or -down- above a soundbite's base pitch (encoded sample rate) yields better results than shifting below the soundbite's base pitch.

by **mkoplin** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:28 am

audio is not working properly for me.

by **Umbrella** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 4:14 pm

You may have to let it run a bit... :wink:

by **macguy** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:29 pm

What's varispeed?
Never heard of it.

by **dix** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 2:27 am

What is this video suppose to be showing us? I can't make any sense out of it. Perhaps the audio isn't playing correctly?

by **stephentayler** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 3:58 am

It's actually showing how to do a pitch bend, like using a pitch wheel, on audio. Actually nothing to do with varispeed (which is all about changing the pitch AND time, like using a speed control on a tape machine)

Cheers

Stephen

by **Umbrella** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 5:28 am

stephentayler wrote:It's actually showing how to do a pitch bend, like using a pitch wheel, on audio. Actually nothing to do with varispeed (which is all about changing the pitch AND time, like using a speed control on a tape machine)

Cheers

Stephen

Using a pitch wheel has "nothing to do with varispeed"? Erm... Have you ever played with the pitch wheel on a traditional sampler? The pitch and time change as you move the wheel. Doing so amounts to the digital equivalent of tape varispeed.

"Standard Pitch Shift" mode for soundbites puts DP's pitch automation into control of the pitch and duration of the digital audio. It is not a true emulation of tape varispeed, however, because in going below the soundbite's encoded sampling rate, DP's algorithm forces what would be a longer soundbite into truncated pieces; hence, the note about going above the encoded sampling rate yielding better results.

by **macguy** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 8:29 am

As I listen I can say I don't want to ever use varispeed in my productions...
I never even heard of the effect... I must be in the dark ages.
I know about changing the speed of the capstan on an analog machine, but never had the urge to go do that during a production... my band mates would whoop my rear end!!! Different strokes for different folks I guess.

by **Dwetmaster** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:12 am

I think the idea is a good alternative if the chipmunk effect is desired. Maybe Umbrella could have chosen a different sample to do his video with. So that we could've seen (and heard) the effect of varispeed a bit more. And in a less speaker blowing way...

Thanks Umbrella!!!

by **dix** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:14 pm

macguy wrote:As I listen I can say I don't want to ever use varispeed in my productions...
I never even heard of the effect... I must be in the dark ages.
I know about changing the speed of the capstan on an analog machine, but never had the urge to go do that during a production... my band mates would whoop my rear end!!! Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I agree. Based on this example vari-speed seems not at all useful. No offense Umbrella. Thank you for taking the time to create this video and posting, but it's not a demo of vari-speed exactly. It just sounds and looks like you're modifying pitch automation. Does that program sound different without Standard Pitch Shift?

At the risk of re-heating a common topic, until the digital era vari-speed usage was common. Debatably as common as delay, eq and compression. Nearly every Beatles recording from Rubber Soul on employed vari-speed at some point in the process. Listen to Strawberry Fields Forever for a veritable showcase of what this technique is capable of.

More than you could possibly want to read on the subject: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=42365&hilit=vari+speed

by **Umbrella** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 6:07 pm

You guys are a riot! :rofl:

by **jjhp3** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 6:11 pm

I think varispeed is indeed useful; but I use SoundHack for the real deal. Don't make fun of music that's not your style... all tools are useful to someone and I appreciate Umbrella giving it a shot for us all!

John

by **dpg4macman** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 6:55 pm

Thanks Um,

Appreciated - mvh

by **zed** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:27 pm

macguy wrote:As I listen I can say I don't want to ever use varispeed in my productions...
I never even heard of the effect... I must be in the dark ages.
I know about changing the speed of the capstan on an analog machine, but never had the urge to go do that during a production... my band mates would whoop my rear end!!! Different strokes for different folks I guess.

As already mentioned above, the Beatles used varispeed in a lot of songs by indeed varying the speed on the tape machine. It was a good stroke for those folks, and for the generations who have loved the songs they created employing this technique and variations of it.

So you really must be in the dark ages... (i.e. the era before multi-track recording.) ;-)