what "tools" do you use to learn songs?

[F-Clef-Jef]

Lately, for difficult material, I've been using my DAW, [DEL]acid pro by sony[/DEL] REAPER. I can load a song into the sequencer and loop certain parts and just keep working on that part, at a slower tempo if need be. I'm sure it could be done with other DAWS. Its just a really efficient way to learn by ear.

My favorite method also.

 

[Handyman]

Lately, for difficult material, I've been using my DAW, acid pro by sony. I can load a song into the sequencer and loop certain parts and just keep working on that part, at a slower tempo if need be. I'm sure it could be done with other DAWS. Its just a really efficient way to learn by ear.

I've been using Reaper for the same purpose. Its very handy. The equalizer plugins are also great for bringing out the bass in tracks where its been buried in the mix.

 

[Down & Outman]

Far cry from the good ol days of scratching up my albums trying to learn. Also would bring binoculars to concerts and just watch the bass player or guitarist.

 

[streetknight]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I remembered I had Amplitube software on my IPad, it has a bass model and the ability to load in a track, slow down or speed up without changing pitch and you can loop whatever parts you want. So I had a handy tool and just realized it lol

 

[beam2611]

+5 on this one
1. Listen to the song a lot first
2. Use Transcribe! 8 with good headphones
3. Notate in Guitar Pro 6
4. Practice up to speed with Guitar Pro 6

First step, I listen to the tune for half an hour to an hour away from my bass through ipod

I run everything through my computer, I have a USB interface or sometimes I use my Pod footboard into the computer for my bass. I have 2 nice sets of headphones, a sweet set of studio closed ear style 'phones and an old Sennheiser open air set, both work great. Then I load the song in Transcribe software (about $50 I think). Very nice, you can mark sections/measures, loop stuff, slow down without changing pitch if necessary, and full equalizer to isolate certain parts you want to hear better. Then I use Sibelius G7 software to write out the part once I've figured it out. It has a playback mode so you can listen to what you have to see if it sounds right.

Sure beats the old days with a cassette and pen and paper.

 

[Tupac]

Tsk tsk. You guys bash tabs, but to learn songs by your "ears" you use your fancy-shmancy transcribing software.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I'll usually spend a day listening to a song before I even pick up my bass just so I have its format and progression memorized. From there I can pick up my bass and usually figure it out in a few minutes, or if needed I'll look at a tab to make sure things are right*.

 

[oldcatfish]

I use Transcribe too, but mainly to transpose songs to a different key. I also use it to Eq out the bass to make a "backing track."

 

[beam2611]

@ Tupac,

Personally I use these "fancy-shmancy" tools, to transcribe mostly solos, or intricate Jamerson-like or jazz bass lines.

I do not need to use Transcribe! to learn a bass line with pumping 8 notes, I could listen to it in my car, and pretty much figure out the intervals and the key of the song by ear, on the fly.

Some guys are more gifted and can learn fast intricate solos by ear without looping & slowing down the recordings, but I'm not there yet.

In the end, it all depends on what your needs are...

Tsk tsk. You guys bash tabs, but to learn songs by your "ears" you use your fancy-shmancy transcribing software.

 

[bassinplace]

What I use, it's ghetto, costs next to nothing and works very well for me. I've got my bass going through a pair of earbuds and the recording going through a pair of "over the ear" headphones and mix volume levels accordingly. I find it works quite well. Try it, you're out almost nothing if you don't end up liking it.

 

[T-MOST]

Just my two ears.

 

[seanm]

I mainly use audacity. It has everything: slowdown, bass boost, looping. And it is free!

 

[refbassist]

Bass plugged to Zoom B2.1u plugged to the laptop as audio interface with sennheiser headphones and yeah winamp

 

[scotch]

Just my two ears.

I wish my ears could play back new music for me to learn!

 

[Testing_123]

when I'm at home I can only listen thru my laptop. A lot of recordings the bass seems buried in the mix and I just can't hear it. My first thought is to buy some 2.1 PC speakers with a good subwoofer.

To the OP:

Great speakers won't add much if your source audio isn't good quality. Ideally, listen to CDs or vinyl, and it would really be best to play them through a decent set of speakers. It's hard to accurately reproduce lower freqs in headphones or small speakers.

If you're listening to mp3s or streaming media through earbuds (not ideal), over-the-ear headphones (can work well), or speakers, make sure your source audio files (if compressed) are compressed at a high bitrate.

Audio loses lots of bass fidelity and dynamic range in 128k mp3s, which can make it more challenging to learn bass lines and match bass tones.

I rip music to my PC at 320k -- I feel guilty to be compressing to that degree, but my iGadget doesn't have a ton of storage space.