The Benefits of Software in Transcribing

As someone who enjoys transcribing the music of my idols, I often come across sections of music or even entire solos that seem impossible to pick apart by ear. The tempo may be too fast, chord voicings too dense or the rhythms too chaotic. This is where software comes in. Many fantastic programs are designed to assist with these transcription problems.

First, it’s important to clear up some misconceptions about these programs. A common misconception is that these programs’ primary use is to identify the music’s pitches, chords, rhythms, etc. and then engrave them perfectly onto sheet music, all with limited user input. In reality, while pitch identification, chord guessing, and the like are a feature of many transcription programs, they are flawed and no substitute for a well-trained ear. Relying solely on these automated features will not get you very far in your transcription. Another misconception is that while transcription software is useful, it will do more harm than good for your growth as a musician. The idea being that great musicians of the past didn’t have access to these software; they couldn’t slow down the music, loop passages or attach notes to the sound file. So, naturally, they had to use their ears more and consequently improved much quicker. While there is some truth to this narrative, it ignores the uniqueness of each musician’s journey. There are players like the phenomenal alto saxophonist David Binney who says he has never transcribed in his life; then you have Keith Jarrett, a pianist known for his technical perfection in both jazz and classical, who says he’s never practiced a technical exercise in his life. In a nutshell, whatever you feel works for you… do that.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the programs you can use. Transcribe! does everything you could want a transcription program to do. You can slow down or speed up the music with very little quality loss; change the key of the music (great for practicing passages in all 12 keys!); loop passages; place beat, measure and section markers to keep track of your progress and what you’re working on; use equalization and audio panning to shift focus to specific instruments; a built-in recording feature; a keyboard at the bottom of the screen if you’re away from your instrument; and a video playback feature if you’re working off a video of a performance (surely a boon to classical music transcribers). Another benefit to using Transcribe! is how its UI (user interface) is designed to make the process of transcribing efficient. Instead of having to press play and pause on iTunes or Spotify over and over with playback starting late each time, you can select where you want the music to begin playback to the millisecond by clicking on the audio waveform in the center of the window. Though it seems small,  this is a game changer when working on high information music where a lot flies by quickly. Once you’ve memorized all the keyboard shortcuts, the often grueling process of going through a really hard piece of music a couple bars at a time feels so much lighter.

Some people would prefer to use an app on their phone or tablet (Transcribe! is unavailable on phones and tablets). In this case, of the many options, I recommend either Amazing Slow Downer or Anytune Pro+. I have tried at least five different apps over the years for transcribing and these two are the best I’ve come across. They both have lite and full-price versions with all features available. Both apps can adjust playback speed, adjust pitch, mix the audio, loop sections and save all of the above settings once you’ve finished working on a track. However, Anytune Pro+ uses an audio waveform which is much easier to navigate in contrast to Amazing Slow Downer’s scroll bar. Another advantage of Anytune Pro+ is its new ‘reframe’ feature which essentially gives you a cropping tool to hone in on specific frequencies of the music, making transcribing entire ensembles less daunting. This feature is also a blessing for those who want to transcribe their favorite bass parts, which are often buried in the mix. Amazing Slow Downer is best for someone who wants something simple and easy to learn whereas Anytune Pro+ provides all the bells and whistles an experienced transcriber might enjoy.

Tom Parker,
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