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Your fav program/application for play along/learning new tunes

atrapp

Supporting Member
Dec 4, 2006
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Portland, OR
www.tobyrapp.com
Seems like this might be the proper forum for this question.
What computer (PC only) program do you use for learning new tunes?
I use a AV program called BS player, while I like it for some video it isn't the best for music.
I also have the Amazing Slow Downer which is great for adjusting pitch and slowing the tune down for curious parts - but not what I would call a go ahead audio play along app.
These days while living in Taiwan the only gig I have is Worship so the bass is not typically over complicated, but am still looking for something new. That said of course I have WMP and VLC, they are IMHO way worse for the task

Thank you for your input and or advice

Toby
 
I'm old school and dirt simple rules my world. I just call up some fake chord sheet music on the song. Print that and then armed with the chord changes and lyrics I then call up a video of the song.

Listen to the song on the video to get the beat and a feel for the music then move to the fake chord sheet music for the lyrics and chord changes. I follow the lyrics under my breath to know when the changes happen. I'll make notes in the margins for rhythm pauses, fills, and things like that, but, I should mention I am not a note by note, like the original artist did it, kind of guy.

Offered as an old school dirt simple way.
 
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Last week I downloaded Transcribe. It does what I assume they all do...slow down music files, pitch change/ correction, EQ to isolate frequencies. One cool thing it has is a drone note to help find the key. I'm not committed to it though. If there is a better one, I'm open to it.
 
I must be a Luddite, it never even occurred to me to use a computer application to learn tunes! I just listen to a recording, or read the part if I have one.

Do they make any computer applications to help me remember tunes?
 
I must be a Luddite, it never even occurred to me to use a computer application to learn tunes! I just listen to a recording, or read the part if I have one.

Do they make any computer applications to help me remember tunes?
Here’s a trick I’ve used sometimes: listen to the song at a high speed, maybe 1.5 to 2 times normal speed. The form becomes a lot more obvious and easy to memorize (for me anyway).
 
I must be a Luddite, it never even occurred to me to use a computer application to learn tunes! I just listen to a recording, or read the part if I have one....

They even have movies that talk, phones without the big round dial on the front and something called "the internet" that knows everything.

Step into the future man... It won't hurt you. Some guys wear their age on their sleeve. It's not as cool as you think. Getting old is fine. Acting it is annoying.
 
I’m fond of an iOS app called Tempo SloMo that lets me loop sections and slow things down for transcribing and learning.it seems more intuitive to me than other apps that do similar things, but YMMV.

I tend to transcribe by hand into music notation, but then I enter the transcription into Finale and have it play it back to see if I got the rhythms right - that’s been very helpful in advancing my rhythm reading.

+1 on IRealPro and Drum Genius!
 
Some guys wear their age on their sleeve. It's not as cool as you think. Getting old is fine. Acting it is annoying.

Heh-heh... So far I've had (3) different responses to this:

- "Ooh, looks like we got a badass over here!"
- "I'm 24 years old. What else ya got?"
- "Perhaps if your ear ever gets good enough to not require computer apps to transcribe & learn music you'll understand where I'm coming from."

But ultimately those all just contribute to the Internet-As-Pissing-Match ethos that makes it so hard for people to actually communicate. So instead I'll just ask a question:

What did you used to use before you started using these apps?
 
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Heh-heh... So far I've had (3) different responses to this:

- "Ooh, looks like we got a badass over here!"
- "I'm 24 years old. What else ya got?"
- "Perhaps if your ear ever gets good enough to not require computer apps to transcribe & learn music you'll understand where I'm coming from."

But ultimately those all just contribute to the Internet-As-Pissing-Match ethos that makes it so hard for people to actually communicate. So instead I'll just ask a question:

What did you used to use before you started using these apps?

I'm almost 60. I find it tedious to even be around people my own age because they are so stuck in the "up hill, both ways" attitude.

But to answer your question. I use recordings mainly, but have programs that slow it down or changes pitch if I want. Sometimes I use them. Usually I don't. It's not the use or lack of use of programs that's annoying about old people. It's the "my way is always better" thing. They never shut up about it. They never acknowledge that a better way could even exist than the way they've always done something. Whether you use it or not is irrelevant.

That's why I love Malcolm Amos. He's what, 85 years old? And he never comes across with that old attitude.

My ear is fine. I can play what I want at most levels. As if you know anything about me... However, I have no interest in having any kind of pissing contest with you.
 
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