I found a great bass solo from a Robin Ford concert on YouTube that I would like to transcribe. The issue is, transcribing from YouTube can be tedious at best. I know there are YouTube down-loaders out there but I'm worried about getting a virus or spamware on my laptop if I use one of them. Does anyone have any experience in YouTube transcription? Is there a better way than just going back an forth over the timeline. I need a way to loop sections and slow sections down.
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Transcribing from YouTube
- Thread starter cman227
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- soloing transcription youtube
I prefer an MP3 file read by loop and slow down software, and the OP seems to prefer that method too. I've used a youtube to mp3 converter site in the past with no problem, but only when a commercial mp3 isn't available. If a song is worth transcribing, it's worth buying an mp3 (if it's available).
I've done a bit too much of that and tried to do it on the cheap (free). It got so tediouss that I purchased a couple of cheap tools to help. I also was leery of free internet downloaders (did use the wondershare site many times without issue), but went ahead and bought their PC version just to simplify the process a bit. I use wondershare (something like $20) to download YouTube vids and to convert to mp3 (also used to convert wavs to mp3). (I feel a little guilty that the artists probably gets nothing from this, but I justify it because its just for band prep and they'll be getting their cut through ASCAP when we perform - or something like that. If I want it for listening, I buy the CD.)
The other tool I got which is so worth it is called RiffStation. I use this to:
1. transpose a cover to a new key and then export (I like to jam to the actual song when learning it, so having it in the proper key is cool). You don't have to export it, but I usually do to share with bandmates or to put on my MP3 player for ear training/vocal practice when I go out for walks. Yes vocals can get chipmunky or sound like the vox has mouth full of peanut butter if you move it more than a step or two, but it's still very valuable.
2. Change speed of song without affecting tone. Very useful for learning that complex lick that's been troubling you.
3. Loop. This tool allows me just repeatedly loop through a song without interacting with the device.
4. Chord discovery. There have been times when I could not find a transcript of a tune we were covering and sometimes my ear just won't id the chord. This is not totally reliable (it'll show a chord when there is just a drum beat for example) and it's not always accurate, but usually better than nothing. Funny that this is one of their selling main points, but is IMO the weakest feature.
The other tool I got which is so worth it is called RiffStation. I use this to:
1. transpose a cover to a new key and then export (I like to jam to the actual song when learning it, so having it in the proper key is cool). You don't have to export it, but I usually do to share with bandmates or to put on my MP3 player for ear training/vocal practice when I go out for walks. Yes vocals can get chipmunky or sound like the vox has mouth full of peanut butter if you move it more than a step or two, but it's still very valuable.
2. Change speed of song without affecting tone. Very useful for learning that complex lick that's been troubling you.
3. Loop. This tool allows me just repeatedly loop through a song without interacting with the device.
4. Chord discovery. There have been times when I could not find a transcript of a tune we were covering and sometimes my ear just won't id the chord. This is not totally reliable (it'll show a chord when there is just a drum beat for example) and it's not always accurate, but usually better than nothing. Funny that this is one of their selling main points, but is IMO the weakest feature.
I have a question/questions.
Let’s say, I have learned the bass line from “Billy Jean” without any apps/software.
Michael Jackson got nothing from me!
Should I feel guilty about it?
Many decades ago, I used to manipulate those big reel tape recorders in order to learn the bass lines, and the artists got nothing from me!
Should I feel guilty about learning those bass lines and paying nothing for my efforts?
We have a few TB members transcribing for us different bass lines.
Should we ask for some serious proof that
1. They have the appropriate authorization to transcribe the bass line,
And/or
2. We have a/any right/rights to use their transcriptions without paying any money to the artists?
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Yes, and you should metaphorically flog yourself for the rest of your pathetic existence, you loser.
Forget about it!
youtube to mp3 converter ... then insert media into a new track on Reaper. loop... slow down. whatever you want to do
I have another question for you.Yes, and you should metaphorically flog yourself for the rest of your pathetic existence, you loser.
Forget about it!
In some serious aural situations many decades ago, when I was not able to figure out a bass note, I would ask my absolute pitch perfect musicians for help.
That time I used to thank them for their support, but now I would be forced to flog them for it.
Is it right?
iTunes used to have a feature that allowed conversion to MP3. I think they dropped that, but I switched to buying MP3 files from Amazon.
All of these programs are fantastic relative to where we were decades ago. Which one is best is subjective, and each has its fans. If you just want to learn a few riffs or play along with recording, I suggest focusing on ease of use. Eq and filters are great, but I usually raise the pitch by an octave if I'm having any trouble hearing pitches. For figuring out chords, the software offers suggestions, but nothing beats having a keyboard handy.
I frequently transcribe songs, so my priorities may be different. For transcribing, I like the use of measure markers and automatic beat markers based on the time signature. This is a huge help in understanding rhythm sufficiently to notate it. If you plan to transcribe songs, I recommend Transcribe! by Seventh String. If you this route and encounter any difficulty whatsoever, post your question here. You'll get lots of responses.
All of these programs are fantastic relative to where we were decades ago. Which one is best is subjective, and each has its fans. If you just want to learn a few riffs or play along with recording, I suggest focusing on ease of use. Eq and filters are great, but I usually raise the pitch by an octave if I'm having any trouble hearing pitches. For figuring out chords, the software offers suggestions, but nothing beats having a keyboard handy.
I frequently transcribe songs, so my priorities may be different. For transcribing, I like the use of measure markers and automatic beat markers based on the time signature. This is a huge help in understanding rhythm sufficiently to notate it. If you plan to transcribe songs, I recommend Transcribe! by Seventh String. If you this route and encounter any difficulty whatsoever, post your question here. You'll get lots of responses.
Let me continue with that “guilt” issue.
1. I have purchased for $.99 a song and have transcribed the bass line from that song.
2. If I post that transcription on the Internet (it is my work), many bass players decide not to purchase the same song.
The artist will lose some money .
Should I feel guilty about it?
What if I start selling those transactions?
1. I have purchased for $.99 a song and have transcribed the bass line from that song.
2. If I post that transcription on the Internet (it is my work), many bass players decide not to purchase the same song.
The artist will lose some money .
Should I feel guilty about it?
What if I start selling those transactions?
I’ve been transcribing from YouTube since forever, and was doing the same with tape cassettes before the internet. I don’t know a single really good player that doesn’t transcribe or copy at least sometimes. I used to do it with music I bought, and still try to, but any moral discussion will not change a thing about artist revenue loss from file sharing or streaming. That genie has been out of the bottle for a long time now and and won’t be going back in. I’m an old school record store guy who was happy to pay for music and I wish things weren’t as they were but posturing about it is useless now.
All that said, I’ll usually pull things and ideas right from YouTube, but I use a mouse and use the full screen option on my Mac so I get a larger progress line on the bottom so I can zero in on where I want to be on the song with greater precision.
For more involved material, I convert to MP3 and maybe put that in a slow-down program.
All that said, I’ll usually pull things and ideas right from YouTube, but I use a mouse and use the full screen option on my Mac so I get a larger progress line on the bottom so I can zero in on where I want to be on the song with greater precision.
For more involved material, I convert to MP3 and maybe put that in a slow-down program.
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Yea, it's bad enough we are working for the same money as we did back in the real-to-real days. If you had to pay royalties to learn songs it probably wouldn't be worth doing at all.
I sense I'm being mocked a little here and that's fine. But transcribing off the radio or off of a purchased copy of a song is probably legally quite different than downloading the song at no cost and doing your transcribing.
I'm not saying I lose ant asleep over this, just stating that if it was my song that you wanted to get a copy of, I'd rather that is was purchased and not technically pirated - I'm not getting my dime. I know that whoever posted the YouTube track is not the author or recording artist in most cases and technically they are probably the ones who should be guilty....
You are not(!) being mocked!
There are a few songs that I don't need any app/software to transcribe a bass-line.
It's so simple, but should I feel guilty about it?
There are so many songs that some good musicians don't need any app/software to transcribe a bass-line, just their ears.
Should they feel guilty about it?
Sometimes, when I (an amateur musician with "bad" ears) am trying to figure out some "strange chord/s and their specific notation for minutes, hours
, should I feel guilty about it?I'm just trying to figure out one thing.
I can listen to any song on my itunes (paid for it) as many times as I can!
I'd like to know if anybody starts feeling "guilty" after listening to the same song five times, ten times, etc...
But...
If I adjust the EQ of that song, I should feel guilty about it...
Many decades ago, those big-reel tape recorders had two speeds.
Sometimes, I used to slow down that tape recorder and, also, used to adjust the "head" for the EQ purpose.
Another question.
What if somebody, even after slowing down a song, still(!) cannot properly transcribe the song's bass-line.
Should that musician feel guilty about wasted time?
Here is my short version.
Due to all those amazing technological advances, we as Musicians got SO MUCH for ourselves - all those gadgets, amps, effects, apps, etc...
Oh, yes, we are SO HAPPY about it but...
Every stick has two ends and there are two sides to a coin, and there are two sides to a story.
In short.
Movement ahead is Progress and regress, like day and night, etc...
Anyway.
Let's cut it short.
Who would suffer the most if there is NO YOUTUBE?
TB members or the ARTISTS?
I do the same thing using adobe Audition. I dunno why you would need the video though. You can never see what the bassist is doing. I can't anyway..
So, I load the m3ps into this gadget and I can practice using headphones if I want. The amp emulator sounds surprisingly good once you set it up properly. You can slowdown, speed up change keys, etc. They used to be really cheap, but I guess it's getting popular.
Tascam GB10 Guitar/Bass Trainer With Recorder
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As Interesting as all this is, I honestly don't get the question about feeling "guilty" about changing the EQ... That is a really bizarre thing to say. Although, the comment about feeling guilty about wasting your time if you can't figure something out, is equally bizarre.
Changing EQ + Slowing down Tempo of any mp3 with a bit rate of 128kbps song from Youtube = "Guilty".
My comment was intended to be BIZARRE.
P.S. And sarcastic...