Transcribing software

[jeannot18]

Hi guys, when I sometimes like a piece of music, i like to try to learn it. I usually watch the video over and over and write down what i see/hear. What software do you use to write down on tabs what you see, I am looking for something very simple to use, ideally free. TIA
JC

[Bob S]

I have used a program called “Transcribe”. Easy to use and has some features that others don’t. It depends on whether you want to end up with notation, or just slow things down to figure out the line. Transcribe is more suited to the first. Otherwise any software that slows down the sound without changing pitch will do the trick. Transcribe is not free, but you can demo it free for a couple of weeks or so.
Bob

[BluGenes]

I don’t use transcribe software, but, I did discover a neat trick with VLC media player when it comes to video. You can set loop points in the video and using the + or – key speed up or slow down the play back. VLC will keep the pitch too. I use it for offline videos, though.. i.e., stuff that I can get off of YouTube, etc.. so, now I set VLC as my default player..

Don't practice till you get it right, practice till you can't get it wrong.

[Billy]

BluGenes wrote:

I don’t use transcribe software, but, I did discover a neat trick with VLC media player when it comes to video. You can set loop points in the video and using the + or – key speed up or slow down the play back. VLC will keep the pitch too. I use it for offline videos, though.. i.e., stuff that I can get off of YouTube, etc.. so, now I set VLC as my default player..

Yep, great tool to use..

..Billy..

[jeannot18]

Thanks guys, I already use VLC, though Transcribe looks very good too. But i was talking about the software that you write the tabs on, ie I saw on one of the tutorial video for Transcribe, that the guy doing the video use Guitar Pro. I just want something very easy to use with not all the bell and whistles for now, ideally freeware, thanks and sorry for the confusion

EDIT: I have downloaded Transcribe, and it is way much better at slowing down the video, so yes, I may be buying a copy of this, thanks for this

[Bob S]

I use Guitar Pro and like it very much, but as you know its not free. I have a copy of Power Tab editor which was free. I don’t think it is maintained any longer so it might be difficult to find. There is also a free notation package called MuseScore. I use it for standard notation, but it has tab capabilities. Can’t tell you how easy it is for that purpose, but is fairly easy to use in general.
Bob

[sunjamr]

I went through the same thought process as you, and tried several ways of writing tabs. All of them were way too slow and tedious for my taste. As Sweet Brown famously said “Ain’t nobody got time for that”. So Wilfried (WBlues) gave an idea: once I’ve worked out the fingering for a lick, just record a video of it. I just sit in front of my laptop and make a short video of it, and I can later look at it and it quickly comes back to me.

Sunjamr Steve

[Hank H]

NOt sure exactly what you are looking for. I have been using TablEdit for over 20 years, no charge for updating ….. ever! I use it for tabbing out music I want to learn. The software plays the tab, midi, (or notation if you do that), slows it down, speeds it up without a change in pitch. Can select a measure or more, or a portion of a measure, slow it down, loop it; great for learning difficult licks. Way more features than I want to list here. It prints out a very professional tab or notation.

I am using it right now to learn Brian’s version of Jingle Bells, EP 079.

The free demo can be used forever and will save up to 24 measures. As with most things there is a learning curve. Good tutorials and manuals and support. I paid $45 or $50 for my copy 20 years ago, it hasn’t gone up much in all that time. But the free version is the way to go until you know that this is for you. There is also a free player/viewer called TefView.

Here is the link: http://www.tabledit.com/

Hank H.

[Duffy P]

Guitar Pro is the go to program for doing simple TABs. If you want to get more sophisticated, I think people use Sibelius for more advanced notation, and I think it has lots of versions.

I would not recommend an automated transcribing software. Probably the best way to improve your musicianship is to try to figure stuff out on your own.

[jeannot18]

Thanks Hank, just trying TablEdit, looks pretty good so far, and yes i will probably stick with the free version until i know that i can use it properly.

[GnLguy]

I bought Riffstation before Fender acquired them. I had talked to the engineer that had designed it and they had plans of developing the ability to print chord charts and to further develop the software to recognize extended and altered chords. Since Fender bought it, they are selling subscriptions to song tabs so I doubt that we will ever see it developed any further…………..but then again, I am cynical about Fender…

https://www.riffstation.com/index.html

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