How to detune a MIDI file?

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Deanricks
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Joined: 16 Jun 2019

20 Apr 2021

Good day fellow Reasonites!

I'm working with a MIDI file, and i'd like to detune it a few steps down to minor key. Master Tune in Edit...Prefs won't do it, so is there any way I can just group detune the whole thing down to say, D below guitar standard tune?

Thanks in advance! :)

--Dean

PhillipOrdonez
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20 Apr 2021

When you know the note you want to transpose, double clicking on said note on the piano roll will select every note of that pitch. You can then transpose all of them to the desired pitch. Repeat for any notes that don't belong to the desired scale. Presto.

PhillipOrdonez
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20 Apr 2021

If you have Delta midi computer, you can set it up to transpose any set of notes you choose. For example, every time there's a Bb or a G, I want it to play a B natural or an F# instead, this can easily be done with Delta.

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challism
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20 Apr 2021

You can also select all the notes in the sequencer and transpose them with the note buttons.
There's also a free player from TonicMint called A/B Transpose which will transpose MIDI notes.
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PhillipOrdonez
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20 Apr 2021

challism wrote:
20 Apr 2021
You can also select all the notes in the sequencer and transpose them with the note buttons.
There's also a free player from TonicMint called A/B Transpose which will transpose MIDI notes.

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Problem is, op wants to change only a few notes from say a major key to a minor key; transposing everything won't change that 🤷‍♂️

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challism
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21 Apr 2021

PhillipOrdonez wrote:
20 Apr 2021
challism wrote:
20 Apr 2021
You can also select all the notes in the sequencer and transpose them with the note buttons.
There's also a free player from TonicMint called A/B Transpose which will transpose MIDI notes.

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Problem is, op wants to change only a few notes from say a major key to a minor key; transposing everything won't change that 🤷‍♂️
Yes, but the title of the post says "how to detune a MIDI file" which implies the whole file (all the notes). Even the post implies that, except for the mention of transposing from Major to Minor. That tells us they want to flatten the 3 to b3; but the title asks for the entire file, so I gave a solution for that.

But it's not really a problem to change from Major to Minor. They can de-select the notes they don't want to transpose or only select the notes they do want to transpose. Or select the notes via the piano roll, as you mentioned.
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selig
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21 Apr 2021

Deanricks wrote:
20 Apr 2021
Good day fellow Reasonites!

I'm working with a MIDI file, and i'd like to detune it a few steps down to minor key. Master Tune in Edit...Prefs won't do it, so is there any way I can just group detune the whole thing down to say, D below guitar standard tune?

Thanks in advance! :)

--Dean
Quick note: "detune" typically means to make it out of tune (but could also refer to tuning a guitar etc. to a different tuning), which I'm guessing is not what you want. "Transpose" means to move it from one key to another, which sounds more like what you're looking for. I say this because I initially ignored the title of the thread because it's impossible to detune MIDI since it's can only be tuned in semitones.
FWIW, detuning would be done at the instrument/system rather than MIDI level. This is why Master Tune, which is used to detune rather than transpose, didn't work.
As for major vs minor, we will have to await your return to this thread to solve that mystery…
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PhillipOrdonez
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21 Apr 2021

selig wrote:
21 Apr 2021
Deanricks wrote:
20 Apr 2021
Good day fellow Reasonites!

I'm working with a MIDI file, and i'd like to detune it a few steps down to minor key. Master Tune in Edit...Prefs won't do it, so is there any way I can just group detune the whole thing down to say, D below guitar standard tune?

Thanks in advance! :)

--Dean
Quick note: "detune" typically means to make it out of tune (but could also refer to tuning a guitar etc. to a different tuning), which I'm guessing is not what you want. "Transpose" means to move it from one key to another, which sounds more like what you're looking for. I say this because I initially ignored the title of the thread because it's impossible to detune MIDI since it's can only be tuned in semitones.
FWIW, detuning would be done at the instrument/system rather than MIDI level. This is why Master Tune, which is used to detune rather than transpose, didn't work.
As for major vs minor, we will have to await your return to this thread to solve that mystery…
The little I understand about MPE, though, it sounds like it allows for per note detuning at the midi level, though that would be more momentary and subject to automation.

You know, another way to solve the major minor issue OP is apparently having, and probably the easiest way to solve it, is to pull a scales and chords on the midi track and set up the right mode there, as long as the root is meant to stay the same, this would be the fastest. Otherwise, the free transposing rack extension player in conjunction with scales and chords is the easiest.

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challism
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21 Apr 2021

The Delta solution give by Phillip is the most fun. I love that Player.
Here is the Master Tune that Selig was talking about (found in the preferences menu, audio tab)
And touche on detuning being a micro tuning (ie, not one of the 12 chromatic notes found in western music). I thought about that too, when I first read the title, but figured the OP meant something else when I read the post.

So I guess OP has some things to clear up. ha ha ha

~
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mcatalao
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21 Apr 2021

You guys are overcomplicating. The OP wants to change the key of a midi file. It's a simple transposition.

To change the key from a major to a minor, he also has to do a selective transpose on 2 or 3 notes depending if the scale is a minor harmonic or melodic.

So imagine he wants to go from D do C, he needs to do a transpose of -2.
If he wants to go from Major E to Minor D melodic, he will have to do a full -2 transpose then add 1 flats (so transpose -1 on E... ).

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