SONAR LE Documentation is based on the full version of SONAR. Some screenshots, folder paths, features and other references may differ from your installation.

Pitch editing

Pitch editing requires that the Pitch button in the Edit Mode section is enabled. Here’s a description of the interface in pitch editing mode:

The yellow line is the edited Pitch curve and this line is the actual sounding pitch.

The red line is the original Pitch curve and this line cannot be edited.

The green dot is a Node. Nodes are automatically assigned to the start and end of the edited region. You can select the specific region between the nodes if you click the yellow line between the nodes.

The white horizontal line is called Center Pitch. Center Pitch is used as a baseline for increasing or decreasing vibrato or for pitch correction.

To change the pitch of a selected region

1.	Use the Arrow tool to select the part of the yellow line that you want to transpose (make sure that the Pitch button in the Edit Mode section is enabled).

The selected region turns blue to show that it is selected.

2.	Drag the yellow line up or down.

Nodes appear automatically when you shift pitch.

Tips:

CTRL-dragging snaps the pitch to the pitch correction grid. SHIFT dragging moves the pitch by 100 cent increments.

You can also edit pitch by dragging a node up or down.

You can undo each edit you do by pressing CTRL+Z. You can use this command repeatedly to undo multiple edits.

About pitch correction

The key for making manipulated sound more natural is using the parameters in the Pitch Correction section: Note, Vibrato and Sense. Functions for each parameter are as follows:

Note. Controls the ratio of pitch shifting to the nearest scale note. With a value of 100, each section is completely shifting to the nearest scale note.

Vibrato. As the value increases, the vibrato depth gets narrower. At a value of 100, Vibrato is completely eliminated.

Sense. As the value increases, the range of affecting pitch correction gets wider.

If you set all of above parameters to a value of 100, you will get a “robot voice”-type sound.

Current default values are:

Note: 100

Vibrato: 50

Sense: 100

This setup is a bit too artificial. If you want to make the sound more natural, we suggest the following setup:

Note: 70-100; be careful of intonation.

Vibrato: 0-20; try 0, if you'd like to keep the original.

Sense: 20-30; adjust to fit the data.

The above suggestion is just one example. Different types of audio might require different settings.

In addition, try adjusting the Pitch Follow parameter in the Formant Control section as follows:

Set the value close to 100 if you'd like to do subtle pitch correction.

Set close to 0 if you'd like drastic rephrasing.

To draw freehand pitch changes

1.	Click the Pen tool.

2.	Draw a shape on the graph.

To draw straight line pitch changes

1.	Click the Line tool.

2.	Draw a line on the graph.

To correct pitch

1.	Select the region you want to correct by using the Arrow tool.

2.

Select the notes that you want the selected region to become by clicking notes on the Keyboard button. The selected notes should be light blue. The deselected notes are dark blue. When you click the Correct button, the selected area conforms to the light blue notes on the keyboard. You can also click the note names in the Select Pitch Correction field to select notes. Note that light blue note names are selected, grey note names are not selected, and red note names are bypassed.

Note: To display different octaves, drag the vertical scroll bar that is at the right side of the graph up or down.

3.	Set the amount of pitch correction you want by adjusting the Note knob. 100 cents is equal to a half-step. Between 70 and 100 is a good place to start.

4.	If the selected region has any unstable pitch areas such as portamento, you can adjust the Sense knob, which adjusts pitch correction sensitivity. Pitch correction gets stronger if you increase the value. 30 is a good starting point. If the selection has vibrato, try 0 to 30.

5.	Click the Correct button. The pitch in the selected region moves to the target pitches (the light blue notes on the keyboard).

To conform pitches to a Scale

1.	Use the Arrow tool to select the region where you want to correct pitches.

2.	Click the Scale button so that it is enabled (light blue).

3.	Click a Maj or Min button to select a major or minor scale, respectively.

4.	Click a note on the Keyboard button to select the root note of the scale.

The notes of the scale you selected turn light blue on the Keyboard button.

5.	Click the Correct button.

The selected area conforms to the light blue notes on the keyboard.

To restore original pitch

Use the Eraser tool to drag over a region. The region you drag over returns to original pitch.

To add vibrato

1.	Click the Vibrato/LFO tool.

2.	Move the cursor to the place where you want the vibrato to start.

The cursor displays a vibrato icon when it is ready to add new vibrato: .

3.	Drag to the right for the length of the vibrato segment that you want to add.

To edit vibrato

1.	Move the Vibrato/LFO tool over the vibrato segment that you want to edit.

The cursor displays a double-arrow icon when it is ready to edit vibrato: .

2.	Drag the vibrato segment vertically to edit amplitude, or horizontally to edit frequency.

Tip:   Holding the CTRL key down while you drag restricts vibrato editing to amplitude only. Holding the SHIFT key down while you drag restricts vibrato editing to frequency only.

To fade-in vibrato

1.	Move the Vibrato/LFO tool over the beginning of a vibrato segment.

The cursor displays a fade-in icon when it is ready to add a fade-in: .

2.	Drag the vibrato segment to the right for the length of the fade-in that you want to add.

 

See:

V-Vocal pitch-to-MIDI.

Editing time.