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A variable speed pitch control (or vari-speed) is a control on an audio device such as a
turntable A phonograph, later called a gramophone, and since the 1940s a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogue reproduction of sound. The sound vibration waveforms are recorded as corresponding phys ...
,
tape recorder An audio tape recorder, also known as a tape deck, tape player or tape machine or simply a tape recorder, is a sound recording and reproduction device that records and plays back sounds usually using magnetic tape for storage. In its present ...
, or
CD player A CD player is an electronic device that plays audio compact discs, which are a digital audio, digital optical disc data storage format. CD players were first sold to consumers in 1982. CDs typically contain recordings of audio material such a ...
that allows the operator to deviate from a standard speed (such as 33, 45 or even 78
rpm Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines. One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...
on a turntable), resulting in adjustments in pitch. The latter term "vari-speed" is more commonly used for tape decks, particularly in the UK. Analog pitch controls vary the voltage being used by the playback device; digital controls use
digital signal processing Digital signal processing (DSP) is the use of digital processing, such as by computers or more specialized digital signal processors, to perform a wide variety of signal processing operations. The digital signals processed in this manner are a ...
to change the playback speed or pitch. A typical DJ deck allows the pitch to be increased or reduced by up to 8%, which is achieved by increasing or reducing the speed at which the platter rotates. Turntable or CD playing speed may be changed for
beatmatching Beatmatching or pitch cue is a DJ technique of pitch shifting or time stretching an upcoming track to match its tempo to that of the currently playing track, and to adjust them such that the beats (and, usually, the bars) are synchronized� ...
and other DJ techniques, while
pitch shift Pitch shifting is a sound recording technique in which the original pitch of a sound is raised or lowered. Effects units that raise or lower pitch by a pre-designated musical interval ( transposition) are known as pitch shifters. Pitch and ...
using a pitch control has myriad uses in
sound recording Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical, Mechanical system, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of ...
.


Vari-speed in consumer cassette decks

Superscope, Inc. of Sun Valley added vari-speed as a feature of portable cassette decks in 1975. The C-104 and C-105 models incorporated this feature. Superscope
trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...
ed the name Vari-Speed in 1974. The trademark category was Computer & Software Products & Electrical & Scientific Products. The trademark goods and Services use was Magnetic tape recorders and reproducers. The trademark expired in 1995.


DJing

Pitch control is fundamental for
DJing A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music fes ...
. By changing pitch, a DJ can alter the speed of an upcoming track to match its
tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...
to that of the currently playing track so that the beats are synchronized, a technique called
beatmatching Beatmatching or pitch cue is a DJ technique of pitch shifting or time stretching an upcoming track to match its tempo to that of the currently playing track, and to adjust them such that the beats (and, usually, the bars) are synchronized� ...
. Through beatmatching, a DJ can create smooth transitions between tracks in a DJ set. Turntables, CDJs, DJ controllers, and DJ software allow DJs to change the speed at which a track is played for this purpose. Technics SL-1200 turntables allow pitch changes to +/− 8% or 16%, depending on the model, and modern DJ gear often allows a range of +/- 100% (from pausing the track to playing the track twice as fast). Modern DJ equipment also features
time stretching Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to compa ...
, which allows the speed of a track to be changed without affecting its pitch, a feature often called "Master Tempo" or "Key Lock". Some equipment also features pitch shifting, allowing pitch to be adjusted independently of tempo; this allows changing the musical key of tracks so that transitions between them sound more pleasing to the listener, a practice called
harmonic mixing Harmonic mixing or key mixing (also referred to as mixing in key) is a DJ technique of matching the musical key of tracks in a DJ mix to avoid dissonance and create harmonious mixes or mashups. Tracks may be matched if they are in the same ...
.


Reset button

On Technics SL-1200 turntables, pressing the Reset button returns the pitch to a fixed preset value of +/−0% regardless of the pitch control position.


See also

* Audio time stretching and pitch scaling *
Beatmatching Beatmatching or pitch cue is a DJ technique of pitch shifting or time stretching an upcoming track to match its tempo to that of the currently playing track, and to adjust them such that the beats (and, usually, the bars) are synchronized� ...


References


External links


Pitch Control
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pitch Control Audio engineering DJ equipment DJing Hip-hop production Sound recording