How to shift the pitch of a song
- Choose an MP3, WAV or M4A file up to 10 minutes long.
- Move the slider. Each step is one semitone, and +12 or −12 is a full octave.
- Leave Keep tempo on so the BPM stays the same.
- Press Shift pitch, compare it with the original, then download the WAV.
Semitones, keys and what moves
Western music divides an octave into 12 semitones, and each one raises the pitch by about 5.9%. Shift a song in C major up 2 semitones and it’s in D major; shift an A minor sample down 3 and it’s in F♯ minor. Every note moves by the same amount, so chords and melodies stay intact. Only the key changes.
That makes pitch shifting the quickest way to fit a sample to your beat, to move a song into a singer’s range, or to practice along with a recording that was tuned differently. Find the key of both tracks with the BPM and key finder, count the semitones between them, and shift the one you care about least.
How pitch shifting without changing tempo works
Raising the pitch on its own is easy: play the audio faster. The trick is putting the length back. This tool does it in two steps. First it time-stretches the song to make it longer (or shorter) by exactly the pitch ratio, without touching the pitch, by stitching together short overlapping slices at the points where their waveforms line up. Then it plays that stretched version back at the matching speed, which brings the length back to the original and moves every note by the number of semitones you chose.
FAQ
How do I change the key of a song?
Choose the song, move the slider by the number of semitones between the old key and the new one, and press Shift pitch. We detect the original key and show the new one as you move the slider, so you can see where you’ll land before you render.
Will shifting the pitch change the speed?
Not with Keep tempo on, which is the default. The song stays exactly the same length and BPM. Choose Speed changes too if you want the old tape and turntable effect, where higher also means faster.
How many semitones do I need to go from one key to another?
Count the steps between the two root notes: C, C♯, D, E♭, E, F, F♯, G, A♭, A, B♭, B, then back to C. C to D is +2, A minor to C minor is +3, and E to C is −4 (or +8). Pick whichever direction is shorter, since smaller shifts sound more natural.
Why do vocals sound strange after a big pitch shift?
A voice has resonances, called formants, that come from the shape of the singer’s throat and mouth. Shifting the pitch moves those too, so a few semitones up starts to sound younger or chipmunk-like, and a few down sounds bigger and darker. Up to about 3 semitones usually sounds natural; instruments and beats handle bigger shifts better.
Is the pitch shifter free, and is my file uploaded?
It’s free with no sign-up, and nothing is uploaded. The audio is processed inside your browser, so your file never leaves your device.
What quality is the download?
A 16-bit WAV at the same sample rate as your file, ready for any DAW. Quality is very good for shifts of a few semitones. At a full octave you may hear some softening on drums, which is normal for any pitch shifter that keeps the tempo.