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How to Slow Down Music

Composing or playing music may require a selection to be slowed down. You can slow music down by stretching waveforms, decreasing pitch or adjusting playback speed. Audio-editing software and playback devices can execute these functions and bring the perfect sound to your composition or public performance.

Things You'll Need

  • Song or selection to be slowed
  • Audio-editing software or turntable
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Instructions

  1. Audio-editing software

    • 1

      Identify the selection you want to slow down. This may be an entire song or a portion of interest.

    • 2

      Load the selection into a new session on your audio editing software.

    • 3

      Highlight the selection by clicking and dragging your mouse cursor across the length of the waveform.

    • 4

      Select the "Stretch" option from your menu bar and enter a longer time than the current selection. This will stretch the music and slow it down. If your audio editing software doesn't have a "Stretch" option, locate the pitch adjuster and set it to a lower pitch.

    • 5

      Play back your altered selection to preview. If you have not achieved the desired music speed, select the "Undo" from your menu bar and stretch or pitch adjust until you have. Lower pitch values decrease music playback speed. Higher values speed up playback.

    Turntable

    • 6

      Load and cue the song or portion of interest you want to slow down.

    • 7

      Select a slower rotation speed, if possible. If you are already using the slowest rotation speed available to your console, slide your pitch adjuster knob down.

    • 8

      Fine-tune your music playback speed by sliding your pitch adjuster knob. Sliding the pitch adjuster knob toward lower values decreases speed. Sliding the knob toward higher values will speed up playback.

Digital Music

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