Transpose is typically controlled by a dedicated knob or button on the synthesizer, and the amount of transposition can be set in semitones (half steps) or whole steps (whole tones). For example, transposing up by one semitone would raise the pitch of all notes by one fret on a guitar, while transposing up by one whole step would raise the pitch by two frets.
Transpose can be a useful tool for a variety of purposes, such as:
• Adjusting the pitch of a synthesizer to match the key of a song being played by other instruments
• Creating harmonized parts by transposing a melody up or down by a specific interval
• Exploring different melodic ideas by experimenting with different transposition settings
• Transposing can also be used to create special effects, such as pitch bends and tremolo.
Many synthesizers offer a variety of additional transposition features, such as:
• Global transpose, which transposes all notes played on the synthesizer, regardless of which octave they are played in
• Octave transpose, which transposes notes played in a specific octave
• Note transpose, which transposes individual notes
• Pitch bend, which allows the pitch of notes to be temporarily raised or lowered by a specified amount
These features give synthesists a great deal of control over the pitch of their instruments, allowing them to create a wide variety of sounds and effects.