MP3 Key/Pitch changing software

[Osiris]

Hi Folks,

I've just joined a new covers band and am currently learning their set.
Most of the stuff they play is transposed from the original key on the recordings that I'm working from.

Does anyone know of any good quality, relatively cheap (or even better, free!) software that can change the key or pitch of the track (with or without slowing it down)? I don't use the PC for making music so I'm totally ignorant of what's out there - I did a google search but just ended up more confused that when I began

I have got one of the old Tascam CD bass trainers which is fine for learning most things but I find the pitch shifter sounds quite heavily processed.
As such I wondered if there is anything that can change the key/pitch but still be relatively natural sounding?
Unfortunately my technique isn't always good enough to transpose things on the fly - I like to have things nailed before blasting away with a band!!

Any help much appreciated,

Sid.

[Thunderthumbs]

I use BestPractice. You can change pitch and tempo, and best of all, it's freebies.

[url="http://sourceforge.net/projects/bestpractice/files/bestpractice/1.03.1/bpsetup_1_03_1.exe/download"]http://sourceforge.net/projects/bestpracti..._1.exe/download[/url]

[Happy Jack]

[url="http://www.ronimusic.com/"]http://www.ronimusic.com/[/url]

The Amazing Slow Downer, allows you to change the speed and/or pitch of any mp3, loop certain sections, etc.

Brilliant tool.

[flyfisher]

I've used Audacity to pitch-change songs for practice purposes. Works well enough and is open-source freeware.

[Osiris]

Many thanks for the recomendations guys

I've downloaded the 2 freebies as a starting point;
Audacity looks like it could be exactly what I'm after as it not only allows the pitch to be changed but it also allows you to save the the the transposed MP3 in the new key (once I'd installed the extra plug-ins, but that only took about 5 minutes of head scratching to figure out!) which is really useful.

Also, the pitch shifting software it uses (SoundTouch) is very good - it doesn't sound as heavily processed as the one on my Tascam CD bass trainer or the real time pitch shifting used by BestPractice.

Having said that though, BestPractice does more or less everything that my Tascam does, to the same usable quality AND is a freebie - that in itself makes it an awesome download for figuring out what's going on on a particular recording.

Thanks again guys, much appreciated.

Sid.