Changing BPM

[Studio 919]

I seem to remember seeing a thread concerning changing the project bpm but now I can't find it. So, here's my question.

Let's say that I create a new project with a bpm of 80. Then I proceed to record guitar, piano (loops), vocals, and drums (loops) all on their own tracks. After recording I want to change the bpm to 100 (or some other rate). Can this be done? If so, are there any side effects (for example, pitch change)?

Thanks in advance for the replies.

[TrevsAudio]

Hi Doodad

Sure can - Go to the Project tab and change to your new tempo there. Virtual instument tracks will adjust to the new tempo.

For audio clips, select each track in turn, go to the Sound tab and select the drop down that says "Time stretch by" and select Adjust to project tempo.

I tried this on my recent project. Upped everything from 96 bpm to 180 bpm (quite drastic). Vocals sound Mickey Mouse but still at the same pitch and everything is still in time.

Give it a try.

[Studio 919]

Hey Trevor,

Thanks for the quick reply. I thought it was possible but just haven't had a chance to try it out. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to try it tonight.

I'm not so concerned about vocals. My thing is that I have written a song but my fingers don't move as fast on my guitar as they used to. So, I was thinking about recording virtual instruments, and guitar at a slower bpm. Then, after getting all instruments recorded, increase the bpm and then record the vocals.

Thanks again.

[TrevsAudio]

Oh yeah - tell me about it

I'm doing my latest project like that - some intricate guitar work. Sometimes I think we're a bit spoilt nowadays.

[rbeach]

Yes we are spolit these days, and I'm glad for it

[aj113]

Hi Doodad

Sure can - Go to the Project tab and change to your new tempo there. Virtual instument tracks will adjust to the new tempo.

For audio clips, select each track in turn, go to the Sound tab and select the drop down that says "Time stretch by" and select Adjust to project tempo.

I tried this on my recent project. Upped everything from 96 bpm to 180 bpm (quite drastic). Vocals sound Mickey Mouse but still at the same pitch and everything is still in time.

Give it a try.

Doesn't work, as has already been illustrated. The only way it can work is if your clips are all one take with no edits and the clips all start from the beginning of the project - i.e. at point 0:00

If you can't satisfy both of these requirements then you are going to end up tearing your hair out, because MC just can't cope with it.

[Studio 919]

Hey AJ113,

After I read the other replies, I wondered how this would work if I had already edited some of the tracks. I figured when I get ready to try it I would use one continuous track; not something that had been split.

Thanks for the post - I'll watch for this when I try it out.

[TrevsAudio]

Doesn't work, as has already been illustrated. The only way it can work is if your clips are all one take with no edits and the clips all start from the beginning of the project - i.e. at point 0:00

If you can't satisfy both of these requirements then you are going to end up tearing your hair out, because MC just can't cope with it.

I'm certainly open to correction here. The project I did the experiment on was my completed work for the March challenge thing. So all edits had already been merged into single continuous tracks ie if a track just had content at the beginning and end, both pieces were merged by "select all clips on track" and then merging.

So maybe "save as" another project and then merge the tracks - you still have the original for further edits if needed.

[gypsy101]

yep,just merge the edit track or...
duplicate the original track then edit that one. if you don't like it either mute it for mixdown or delete it entirely.

[Studio 919]

Thanks again to all that responded. I'm glad to see there are some options. Can't wait to try it out.

[aj113]

...The project I did the experiment on was my completed work for the March challenge thing. So all edits had already been merged into single continuous tracks ie if a track just had content at the beginning and end, both pieces were merged by "select all clips on track" and then merging.

Yes, technically that should work, but in reality it doesn't because the merge function has a bug, audible glitches can be heard where the edits were after merging.

So you're left with the choice of either merging all edited tracks and living with all the glitches that creates or not changing your BPM.