How to Raise a Song's Key With Audacity
A musical key defines the notes that a song uses. Each key is defined by its root, or tonic, note. The root note of a song in the key of A, for example, is A. The free, open-source digital audio program Audacity includes a built-in effect that can raise the key of a song. If you have a recording of a song in the key of B, for example, you can use this effect to raise the key up to C.
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Instructions
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Launch Audacity. Click "File" and "Open," then locate the song whose key you want to raise. Click the song, then click "Open."
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2
Double-click the song waveform in the Audacity window to select it. Open the "Effect" menu and select "Change Pitch." The "Change Pitch" effect window opens.
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Click the "Up" radio button. Click the "To" drop-down menu and select the key to which you want to raise the song. The Change Pitch effect displays the original key of the song next to "From." If the original key is "E," for example, select "G" in the "To" menu to raise its key to G.
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Click "Preview" to listen to the song in the new key. If you're satisfied with the change, click "OK" to apply it to the song.
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Tips & Warnings
If Audacity detects the original key of the song incorrectly, set the correct key using the "From" menu.
The more you change the key of a song, the less like the original it sounds.
