Loop Properties dialog - Audio Stretching

You have two different (and independent) ways to stretch clips: by using either Groove clips or AudioSnap. Groove Clip markers are typically placed at a zero-crossing point before a transient; AudioSnap markers are placed directly on a transient. The AudioSnap feature can extract tempo from a clip. Groove Clip stretching is preferred for more extreme stretching. There are numerous other differences between the two features (see Working with Groove Clip audio, and AudioSnap).

The Audio Stretching tab has a section of options for Groove Clips, and a separate section for AudioSnap, described as follows:

Groove Clips

Both MIDI and audio clips can be set to act as groove clips. The options you see in this dialog box for audio clips are different from the options for MIDI clips.

The Groove Clips section of the Audio Stretching tab has the following options:

Enable Looping. Checking the Enable Looping check box allows you to loop clips in the Track view by dragging the right side of a clip with your mouse. When Enable Looping is not checked, you are able to slip edit the clip. For more information about slip editing, see Applying fades and crossfades offline.

Stretch to Project Tempo [audio clips only]. The Stretch to Project Tempo check box instructs Sonar to stretch or shrink the clip to fit the project’s tempo. Sonar uses the Beats in Clip and Original Tempo parameters are used to make the change.

Beats in Clip. The number of beats (quarter notes) in the clip.

Original Tempo [audio clips only]. The tempo at which the clip was recorded.

Follow Project Pitch. The Follow Project Pitch option transposes the loop, if necessary, to the key of the project. A loop recorded in the key of A, used in a project in the key of C, would be transposed up three semitones if the Follow Project Pitch check box was checked.

Reference Note. The Reference Note represents the key in which the loop was recorded. The Follow Project Pitch feature uses this information, when checked, to transpose the loop to match the project’s key.

Pitch (semitones). You can set the transposition of a clip, independent from the project pitch, using the Pitch (semitones) field. A positive number transposes the clip up by that number of semitones. A negative number transposes the clip down by that number of semitones. Remember that, if the Follow Project Pitch option is checked, the clip follows the project’s pitch, so any transposition changes you make using this option are changes to the project pitch, not the clip pitch.

An example: The project key is C. The clip key is D. If the Follow Project Pitch option is checked, the clip is transposed down by two semitones. A value entered into the Pitch (semitone) field adjusts the pitch from C. If you enter -1 the pitch would be transposed down by one additional semitone to B.

Another example: The clip pitch is E. The desired clip pitch is D. If the Follow Project Pitch option is not checked, and a value of -2 is entered in the Pitch (semitones) field, the clip is transposed down two semitones to D from the original pitch of E.

Fine Pitch (cents) [audio clips only]. The Fine Pitch (cents) field allows you to make tuning adjustments or to transpose the pitch of a clip up to 50 cents. There are 100 cents in one semitone. A Fine Pitch setting of 1 adjusts the pitch up one hundredth of a semitone. The Fine Pitch option can “fine tune” a slightly out of tune clip so that it is in pitch with the remaining clips in a project.

For more information, see:

Working with loops

Working with Groove Clip audio

Creating and editing Groove Clips