The Alternative Csound Reference Manual
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# semitone

semitone -- Calculates a factor to raise/lower a frequency by a given amount of semitones.

## Description

Calculates a factor to raise/lower a frequency by a given amount of semitones.

## Syntax

semitone(x)

This function works at a-rate, i-rate, and k-rate.

## Initialization

x -- a value expressed in semitones.

## Performance

The value returned by the semitone function is a factor. You can multiply a frequency by this factor to raise/lower it by the given amount of semitones.

## Examples

Here is an example of the semitone opcode. It uses the files semitone.orc and semitone.sco.

Example 1. Example of the semitone opcode.

    /* semitone.orc */
    ; Initialize the global variables.
    sr = 44100
    kr = 4410
    ksmps = 10
    nchnls = 1

    ; Instrument #1.
    instr 1
      ; The root note is A above middle-C (440 Hz)
      iroot = 440

      ; Raise the root note by three semitones to C.
      isemitone = 3

      ; Calculate the new note.
      ifactor = semitone(isemitone)
      inew = iroot * ifactor

      ; Print out all of the values.
      print iroot
      print ifactor
      print inew
    endin
    /* semitone.orc */

    /* semitone.sco */
    ; Play Instrument #1 for one second.
    i 1 0 1
    e
    /* semitone.sco */

Its output should include lines like:

    instr 1:  iroot = 440.000
    instr 1:  ifactor = 1.189
    instr 1:  inew = 523.229

## See Also

cent, db, octave

## Credits

Example written by Kevin Conder.

New in version 4.16

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