Best software for transcribing MP3 tracks

[sammybee]

If anybody is on Mac, I use a tool called RiffStation - it's specifically designed for this job. Will even do most of the transcription for you (shows you the chord fingering etc). Brilliant bit of software & I think it's free nowadays

[stewblack]

1 hour ago, Unknown_User said:

Could you please expand on this bit for a total novice at this sort of thing?  After a few goes of trying it for myself I mostly managed to make a song I am trying to learn sound like aliens were landing behind a partition wall.

Yes mate happy to help. PM me to get away from the brickbats and heckling if the cheap seats

[Ricky 4000]

2 hours ago, Unknown_User said:

Don't laugh at me, @Ricky 4000 & @Teebs.  I'm trying my best, you heartless monsters!

😀

I'm laughing with you. 👍

As you've noticed, that @Teebs is laughing at you.

😃

[dannybuoy]

4 hours ago, sammybee said:

If anybody is on Mac, I use a tool called RiffStation - it's specifically designed for this job. Will even do most of the transcription for you (shows you the chord fingering etc). Brilliant bit of software & I think it's free nowadays

It's on Windows too! I used it when having to learn basslines for a load of original recorded material with no charts or tabs. Telling you what the chords are is a godsend, plus you can slow down and loop any tricky bits.

[songofthewind]

Plus one for Riffstation. And, yes, it’s free now.

[stewblack]

Riffstation appears to be no more... 

[Teebs]

14 hours ago, Unknown_User said:

Don't laugh at me, @Ricky 4000 & @Teebs.  I'm trying my best, you heartless monsters!

😀

I wouldn't dream of mocking you, my dear Unknown!

I am equally in the dark as to the machinations of the computer-wotsit things!

Plus, aliens landing behind a partition wall sounds interesting, & probably better than my first attempts with the software-thingy!

     

[Osiris]

5 hours ago, stewblack said:

Riffstation appears to be no more... 

Looks like you can still download it from the link below, but I should point out that I haven't actually downloaded it so I've got idea if this is what it claims to be or whether it's a virus or some other nasty! I'm just absolved myself from any blame if it turns out to be dodgy!

http://riffstation.findmysoft.com

[Teebs]

7 minutes ago, Osiris said:

I'm just absolved myself from any blame if it turns out to be dodgy!

You are absolved, my son!

Thanks for the link

[Osiris]

6 minutes ago, Teebs said:

You are absolved, my son!

Thanks for the link

Thank you, Father Teebs. 

Does the absolution also cover the incident with the donkey and the gimp mask?

[Teebs]

13 minutes ago, Osiris said:

Does the absolution also cover the incident with the donkey and the gimp mask?

Bit out of my league, that one!

You'll have to chance it with the 'Big Man' (Barry White)!

[Muppet]

On 15/08/2019 at 13:16, Horizontalste said:

Transcribe (7 String), while it's not free it is a lifetime subscription & there's so much you can do with it.

 

https://www.seventhstring.com/xscribe/overview.html

Another vote for Transcribe. I use Audacity for quick editing and converting but for playback learning, this is great. 

[SteveH]

I use Music Speed Changer app for Android phone. Really easy to use . Octave up / down ,  adjustable tempo as slow as you need and A / B  looping. Also has EQ and waveform slider. Plug phone into preamp, headphones in, done. I used to use Ableton , but this is dead handy, and it's FREE 😀

[Osiris]

3 hours ago, Osiris said:

Looks like you can still download it from the link below, but I should point out that I haven't actually downloaded it so I've got idea if this is what it claims to be or whether it's a virus or some other nasty! I'm just absolved myself from any blame if it turns out to be dodgy!

http://riffstation.findmysoft.com

I had a go at downloading Riffstation from the above link but it looks like all you get is a 30 day trial after which it will stop working. In the end I didn't install it as I was hoping for the complete full version which looks to have been a freebie prior to being pulled. Ah well. 

[uk_lefty]

Audacity is good for editing mp3s of live performance/ rehearsals, didn't k ow I could use it to loop and slow down etc. Thanks! 

Edited August 16, 2019 by uk_lefty

[dannybuoy]

2 hours ago, Osiris said:

I had a go at downloading Riffstation from the above link but it looks like all you get is a 30 day trial after which it will stop working. In the end I didn't install it as I was hoping for the complete full version which looks to have been a freebie prior to being pulled. Ah well. 

I've got a copy of 1.6.3 that I bought. I'll see if I can activate it later, and if the company is no more and it was free before they disappeared, no harm in sharing it!

[sammybee]

3 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

I've got a copy of 1.6.3 that I bought. I'll see if I can activate it later, and if the company is no more and it was free before they disappeared, no harm in sharing it!

I'm happy to do the same for the mac version if anyone is interested, pretty sure I still have the download stored somewhere.

[dannybuoy]

Looks like they've been bought by Fender!

https://play.riffstation.com

Found a link here to the latest free version before it disappeared, uploaded by a user on the Cakewalk forum:

http://forum.cakewalk.com/Riffstation-Pro-for-FREE-m3756955.aspx

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/riffstation-downloads/Riffstation.exe

[Osiris]

26 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/riffstation-downloads/Riffstation.exe

Cheers @dannybuoy

I can confirm that this link works fine on my Windows 10 PC, just click on it and you get the full version with none of the blurb in the installation about it being a 30 day trial as with he previous link I'd posted earlier. 

[Unknown_User]

12 hours ago, Teebs said:

I wouldn't dream of mocking you, my dear Unknown!

I am equally in the dark as to the machinations of the computer-wotsit things!

Plus, aliens landing behind a partition wall sounds interesting, & probably better than my first attempts with the software-thingy!

     

😄 I didn't take it too much to heart!

The good news is that I managed to increase the tempo, add a sample from an old song and was subsequently able to release it as a dance single.

*little fishes, big fishes, then cardboard boxes*

[Bilbo]

I have used Transcribe for over a decade for only one £30 up front fee. 

[Crawford13]

On 15/08/2019 at 18:17, Silvia Bluejay said:

I've had Anthemscore for a while (demo version) but I can't for the life of me find how to change a notation transcription into the correct key. As in, I ask the software to analyse, say, a song that I know is in A minor, and the damn thing comes up with Eb major!

So I go to the dropdown menu in the appropriate field to choose the correct key to re-transcribe, and can only see SOME keys, not all. A minor is NOT among them, because the list only gives major keys. Not sure where I'm going wrong, but on this basis, I wouldn't recommend the software, and I won't be buying the full version.

Unless of course I'm being an idiot and someone can explain where I'm going wrong.

I think what it’s expecting here is that everyone knows there relative major / minor keys. This should help you out.

[Silvia Bluejay]

I can't see how having a song, originally in A minor, transcribed in C major can be of any use at all. If the song starts with an A minor chord, replacing it on the score with a C major chord - and so on with each chord through the song - can only be a hindrance. Or am I still missing something? 😮

[Crawford13]

10 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

I can't see how having a song, originally in A minor, transcribed in C major can be of any use at all. If the song starts with an A minor chord, replacing it on the score with a C major chord - and so on with each chord through the song - can only be a hindrance. Or am I still missing something? 😮

The notes on the stave for C major and A minor would look exactly the same when written. But their function within the melody / harmony would be different.

What I can’t explain though is why a song in Am come up in Eb major lol, unless the software is flawed.

Edited August 16, 2019 by Crawford13

[sammybee]

3 hours ago, sammybee said:

I'm happy to do the same for the mac version if anyone is interested, pretty sure I still have the download stored somewhere.

Found the MAC version dmg, full unrestricted. I'm not going to post it here, but if you want it PM me.