Sometimes a fast pitch change is created between blocks of pitch groups (for example by moving a block up or down). A smoothing function can quickly fix this. Ths is most easily implemented using the Smooth Join tool. Alternatively, you can employ the older method described here.


In the image below, the selected pitch block is about to be moved downward a few semitones.

APT Pitch Block Before move

In the next image the centre pitch block has been dragged down two semitones. This leaves a sharp drop at both the right and left side of the moved block. Although the playback software often will smooth out transitions and the user will not hear any problems, if it doesn't, it can sometimes sound unnatural.

APT Pitch block dragged down

To smooth these edges at the same time, LEFT CLICK the leftmost pitch block that requires it's right transition to be smoothed, hold the SHIFT key down and LEFT CLICK the rightmost pitch block requiring smoothing. In this example, all three blocks are selected as shown in the image below.

Then RIGHT CLICK in the track to get the pop-up menu shown, and select Smooth Selected Groups.

Three pitch blocks before smooth

A smoothing function will be applied to the two transitions between the centre and the adjacent blocks, resulting in the two transitions being smoothed as shown below.

Pitch Block smoothed transitions

NOTES: if only two blocks had been selected, then only the one transition between the two selected blocks would have be created.


Next topic