How to Add Key Change in Pro Tools

 

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Overview of how to Add Key Change in Pro Tools

Pro Tools lets you write music according to a certain key so that you can always export your score and perhaps share it with musicians for recording or live performance purposes.

By default, Pro Tools will assume the key of your song is C major, which is in fact the simplest key.

However, this can be changed at any time.

Actually, you can change it multiple times within the same songs, creating a Key Change. This is very common in today’s music, as you will find a certain key during the chorus and another during the verses, adding emotion and character to a production.

Pro Tools lets you change the key of the song at any given time by using the Add Key Change function.

Let’s dive deep into this!

1. Open or create a new Pro Tools session:

 

 

As you can see from the Key ruler, the default key is set to C major:

 

 

Let’s add a key change at bar 2!

 

2. Locate the playback at the star of bar 2:

 

 

3. From the top menu bar click on: Event -> Add Key Change:

 

 

The Key Change window will open as:

 

 

This window has several parameters that we can explain as:

• Sharps/Flats: These buttons lets us select exactly the key we want to assign.

 

• Major/Minor Keys: These options let us select between major or minor keys.

 

• From/To: These functions let us assign the place where the key change will happen, and its end.

 

• Edit Pitched Tracks: This function lets us edit the tracks that have a certain pitch (MIDI) by automatically transposing it according to the new key.

 

 

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will set our new key to F minor. The parameters will be set as:

• Sharps/Flats: F minor
• Major/Minor: Minor
• From/To: 2/1/000 to next key signature
• Edit Pitched Tracks: OFF

 

3. Set the Key Change Window to the previous parameters as:

 

 

4. Press “OK”:

 

 

The Key Change will be applied as:

 

It is easy to see how the new key change (F minor) now starts at bar 2, as expected!

And that is it!

At this point, we have successfully explained how to Add Key Change in Pro Tools.

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