I’m trying to find the best option for pitch shifting ultrasonic recordings within Cubase. The options seems to be:
Using the transpose function (this is limited to -24 semitones, also has a few algorithms to choose from).
Put the audio into a sampler track. This is an option I use for sound design a lot as it allows extreme pitch shifting but I’m not sure if its using the same algorithms as the transpose function?
Pitch shifting via plug-ins, little altar boy etc. Not sure if these are processing at the full sample rate?
I’ll be doing my own testing as well but just wondered if anyone here has experimented with these options on ultrasonic recordings.
I assume the recordings are in 88.2 (96) kHz sample rate or higher. Then simply insert those tracks into a 44.1 (48) kHz project while not allowing Cubase to convert the sample rate. This way, the recordings will be played back at half speed and their ultrasonic content should be immediately audible. If the half speed (one octave down) is not enough, change the metadata (header) of the recorded file from 96 kHz to 192 kHz and import it again into 48 kHz Cubase project without sample rate conversion.
Yep the recordings are at 192kHz. I was hoping for a workflow that would allow me to hear the recordings at various shifted pitches from within the same project. The issue for me with your proposed workflow is that I wouldn’t know in advance how much pitch shifting I would want to do to a sound without hearing it anywhere from -1 to -4 octaves down and sometimes I’m pitching up as well.
That’s why I’m keen to explore the re-pitching options within Cubase to allow me to experiment with different amounts of pitch shifting. I should have also stated this is all for creative sound design as opposed to say a recording of bats, which your workflow would be great for.
Another option that might come handy is using the direct offline processing. There is a pitch algorithm inside that can work well for sound design / time stretch uses.
I’ve been using offline processing as well but I think its the same algorithm as transpose. The only method I think might be different is using the sampler track, where the pitch shifting options have different names/quality levels.
Just curious - how ultrasonic? Bats? Dolphins? Dogs?
(For me, it would be around 5KHz, because of years of high volume headphone abuse.)
If it’s, for example, 60KHz, then a 24-semitone shift would bring it down to an audible 15KHz.
They can hear high pitched sounds, same as bats and dolphins. They all have different hearing ranges, but they’re all higher than ours. Ultrasonic. So I’m just wondering - how ultra?
And how was it recorded?
So its a pretty broad range of recordings but I was most interested in resonating metals and also retaining as much top end information when pitching down (often by 1-4 octaves). I’ve been using a couple of mics that go into the ultrasonic range, one up to 70k and the other 40k which is a contact mic. I’d really wanted to get hold of something like the Sanken CUX 100k but couldn’t find anywhere to rent from and the buy price is pretty steep.
Unfortunately I can’t seem to find much of a mid ground, the next step down is something like the Sennheiser 8050 which goes up to 50k but is still north of a grand.
Its for sound design, I write music in some production heavy genres where unusual sounds are sought after and re-pitching can sometimes lead to some interesting results.
I think for your case , since you recorded all in 192K would be Nice to try using linear time based ( not musical) and not resampling the audio when importing to a new Cubase session.like that the audio will play half speed . Did you try that ?
