Re-Mastering to A=432 Hz.

[Oren]

There has been a lot of interest on the web recently about the potential for music produced at a lower pitch of A=432 Hz to stimulate positive physical and emotional change. According to the proponents, when your instruments are tuned to A=432Hz the frequency of each note in the 12 semi-tone scale resonates at a pitch that encourages beneficial physiological responses, and improves the mood of the audience.

Many of us don't have the capability to perform/produce music in this lower pitch, so some artists are re-pitching existing productions to A=432Hz by digitally lowering the pitch by 8 Hz, from A=440 down to A=432.
The cross-platform open source program "Audacity" - http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ - features software that will accurately re-master an existing recording to the new pitch of your choice.

To re-pitch a production originally recorded at A=440Hz down to A=432Hz:
- open Audacity and turn the dithering function "off"
- Edit/Preferences/Quality - realtime and high-quality conversion - Dither - select "None" - hit the "OK" button
- click  the "Effect" tab and select "Change Pitch Without Changing Tempo"
- Click on the "Down" button
- in the "Semitones" box, type in -0.318 ... you will see the "percent change" box adjust to -1.820
- hit the "OK" button
- click on the "File" tab and select "Export"
- tag it if you like, and hit "OK"
- name the "Export" file, and select the folder you want to export to
- select the audio file type (wave, ogg, mp3, etc.), and hit the "Save " button...done deal!

You can now import the new re-mastered file back into Audacity to listen to it.

[bvdp]

Let me preface by saying that I play sax so probably don't know a lot about tuning

But, I think that someone is blowing smoke out a body orifice from which, normally, smoke doesn't emit.

And, what would the reaction of someone who has perfect pitch be?

Honestly, I feel best when the different musicians are in tune to each other!

Nevertheless, it's an interesting post

[Oren]

For as long as I've been aware of music, it has seemed to me that music and sound have a profound value - more than just as a subjective enjoyment from the composer/performer/listener. So, as tidbits of information regarding sound and music crossed my path, I tucked them away for further examination, hoping to eventually see a bigger picture take shape.

All that has become clear as yet, is that some audio frequencies are appropriate for "seeing" inside the body (ultrasound), and other audio frequencies are useful for cleaning teeth...
It follows, that specific frequencies may have specific effects on human health and emotional well-being.

The A=432Hz phenomenon may be complete nonsense, but it is the most promising strategy I've seen yet to establish a more fundamentally meaningful quality to the music we play and listen to.
And if this direction proves to be erroneous, perhaps there is a more fruitful approach that will show up down the line...

[bvdp]

This may well be true. Or not

But I'm quite convinced that we, as musicians, can spend an awful lot of time on "enhancement issues" which really make so little difference that we'd be better off practicing our craft.

An example for my expertise are sax ligatures and reeds. Some folk say that the lig is just a "clamp". Others will assign near mythical attributes to their favorite (and expensive) brand. I'm sure you guitar guys have similar stories about solid gold tuning pegs and space age picks. In my view, these things MAY make a difference ... but the differences are so slight that no audience member will notice. The proponent will say "yes, but the over all sound is enhanced and even though they don't realize it the audience will hear and enjoy". I'm not going to argue the point ... but when you consider the time/money spent on these issues, I maintain that some extra time practicing would make much more difference.

And, please, I'm not suggesting that equipment does not make a difference. It does. But there are limits ... we've all heard crummy players on good equip. and the good guys playing crappy horns, etc. ... I know which one I like better

Getting back to the topic, I'm certainly not at all convinced. But, what do I know? I like to listen to lo-fi recordings from the '20s and '30 with all those wonderful jazz guys ... and my ears just continue to age ... and unlike fine wine they aren't improving

[Oren]

...I like to listen to lo-fi recordings from the '20s and '30 with all those wonderful jazz guys...

Just for interest: what pitch did the jazz players of the '20s and '30s generally tune to?
(Mario has a piano from the late 19th century that is tuned to A=431)

[offthewall]

 
Just out of interest.
I have specially re-mastered my latest song to fit this method ... just for Oren 

 
James

[Oren]

...Just out of interest.
I have specially re-mastered my latest song to fit this method ... just for Oren...

Schweet!

[TheFreedomDoctor]

Hey Oren  ...

And using that same process if I wanted to tune it down to A=424 hz
what would be the value to enter in the semitones box?

P.S. I am using Audacity 2.0
P.S.S. Is there any other method to detune songs to better quality?
P.S.S. How about the Pitch from and to... Would you have to select A?

Thank you very much,

[Oren]

Woh! TheFreedomDoctor, you have already reached beyond my capabilities!
Determining the semitone value to tune down to A=424 Hz is for someone with a solid grasp of mathematics and music theory.

Changing the pitch of an existing piece of music will necessarily degrade the audio quality to some degree. The very intense calculations Audacity must perform to lower the pitch without slowing the tempo pushes the software (and your computer) to the limits of its capabilities. Some digital inaccuracies (rounding?) will occur, but the result will be sufficiently accurate to reproduce most of the therapeutic benefits that exist in music performed from the outset at the lower pitch.

Keep in mind - for maximum effect the music should be written/performed in Pythagorean tuning, which is not an entirely harmonious sound.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_tuning

Our modern instruments are constructed to produce music in "equal temperament tuning", which sounds better in chords and complicated arrangements.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_temperament
Music performed in (or detuned to) A=432Hz in equal temperament will, however, hit enough of the appropriate notes to be therapeutically viable.

Am I making any sense...?... 

[uciex]

Hi man!
I think why you changed semitones on "-0.318" and not Freqency Hz "440 to 432".
When I changed semitones on "-0.318" I head 440Hz to 431.992
When I changed Frequency 440 to 432, I had Semitones "-0.32" and percent change "-1.818".

Which method is correct?
Cheers

[Oren]

uciex -

Your method is more accurate - therefore more correct.

Many versions of Audacity will not adjust the pitch in the way you have described, so I presented a method that would work in all versions of Audacity... and still provide a result that is accurate enough to create the desired effects of this lower pitch.

Oren