Ableton Forum

For reasons I cannot fathom, my Simpler keyboard seems to be out of tune. The first song I recorded, the E on my guitar corresponded to a C on the Simpler keyboard. The second song, it's a fifth off: my D is an A on the Simpler. I know how to construct chords, and have a good enough ear to work around it, but it's like translating languages. It's learning to use a keyboard NOT designed around the C, but a different key. Any suggestions out there?

Keep in mind simpler doesn't know what pitch the wav you dropped into it is. That means you have to do one of two things, tune the wav before you load it into simpler, or tun simpler after you load the wav.

To tune it beforehand, use soundforge, cooledit, wavlab or whatever. There is an old autotuning program I think called... I dont remember what it was called, google it, it was free.

To tune it in simpler, play a note on your guitar (c is easiest I guess) and play the note in simpler, use the step and fine transpose knobs to get it to the right pitch and you should be set. Tuning it inside of simpler will not let you get quite as close sometimes, but try it first anyway.

not sure if this helps, but most soft samplers will map ur sample to c3 on ur keyboard to begin with, if even the note sampled is an e. it will remain on the E key unless u use a midi effect like scale or pitch to transpose.

guitar and bass are transposing instruments anyway, E on a bass for example corresponds to C on a piano or keyboard.

Jesse_mtl wrote: guitar and bass are transposing instruments anyway, E on a bass for example corresponds to C on a piano or keyboard.

E on bass corresponds to C on a piano?

Jesse_mtl wrote: guitar and bass are transposing instruments anyway, E on a bass for example corresponds to C on a piano or keyboard.

E on a bass, sounds closest to C on a keyboard. thats why its part of the group of instruments called transposing instruments. same for guitar, saxophone among others.

Jesse_mtl wrote:E on a bass, sounds closest to C on a keyboard. thats why its part of the group of instruments called transposing instruments. same for guitar, saxophone among others.

As far as a bass and guitar being "transposing instruments" yes you are correct but sorry, E on a bass is E on a piano. Transposing instruments have nothing to do with how they sound, its simply effects how the notes are written in a score. In the case of a bass or guitar the part is written one octave higher than the actual pitch.

true thanx, i always got that confused

Right: an E is an E. I used to tune my guitar to the keyboard, concert A pitch. I believe the solution is as suggested: transpose the simpler

Later: Jesse, you were right. Using the "pitch" tool I managed to tune the bass/simpler just like you suggested. Also the simpler itself has a transpose function I simply hadn't discovered yet. Thanks for all the help, fellas.

MCourter wrote:Later: Jesse, you were right. Using the "pitch" tool I managed to tune the bass/simpler just like you suggested. Also the simpler itself has a transpose function I simply hadn't discovered yet. Thanks for all the help, fellas.

Sorry to barge in and revive an old discussion, but I'd love to hear about this method of transposing within Simpler. Can you tell me where this mystery control is, please?

Open your simpler. Over to the far right of the box into which you patch your sample, and below it, you will find the Transpose knob. You'll figure out how to use it, or you can look it up in the help file. It's easy. The Pitch tool also offers a Transpose function, but it's simpler to use the simpler.

Curiously enough, I don't even use Live anymore. I got a teaser version of 4 audio and 4 midi tracks and ended up buying the Cakewalk Sonar. All in all, I think Live was a little easier to use.

MCourter wrote:Open your simpler. Over to the far right of the box into which you patch your sample, and below it, you will find the Transpose knob. You'll figure out how to use it, or you can look it up in the help file. It's easy. The Pitch tool also offers a Transpose function, but it's simpler to use the simpler.

I thought I'd looked at it a few times in that general area, but not until I read your posting did I realize that they'd taken that full-size knob from version 4 and reduced it to a teeny-tiny little scrolly-edit-box-thingy in version 5. It made finding it difficult, but after finding it, it worked as advertised. Thanks!