Pitch Shift
Shift a pitch by semitones and cents from a starting frequency.
About Pitch Shift
Each semitone adds or subtracts one hundred cents, and the shifted frequency is the base times the ratio of cents over twelve hundred. Pitch shifting changes musical character, and knowing the exact ratio is essential for tuning, sampling and DJ key matching.
Formula
Pitch Shift
Freq = base x 2^(total cents / 1200); one semitone = 100 cents
- 1200
- Cents in one octave
Worked example
With the default values below, Pitch Shift returns Shifted Frequency of 440.00. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Starting frequencyminimum 20 Hz
- 440 Hz
- Semitonesaccepts -24–24
- 0
- Centsaccepts -50–50
- 0
Results
- Shifted Frequency
- 440.00 Hz
- Total Shift
- 0 cent
- Nearest Note Name
- A
Step by step
- 1Values used
- 2Pitch Shift
- 3Shifted Frequency= 440.00 Hz
- 4Total Shift= 0 cent
- 5Nearest Note Name= A
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or fees or charges into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Pitch Shift calculated?
Freq = base x 2^(total cents / 1200); one semitone = 100 cents Each semitone adds or subtracts one hundred cents, and the shifted frequency is the base times the ratio of cents over twelve hundred.
Why does Pitch Shift matter?
Pitch shifting changes musical character, and knowing the exact ratio is essential for tuning, sampling and DJ key matching.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 3 inputs: Starting frequency, Semitones, Cents. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.