Transcription device

[BobH]

A couple years ago, I picked up a playback device for transcribing from Reed Kotler. It allows me to record up to 90 seconds of music, then loop sections of it at different speeds without changing the tone. It's a great concept for transcribing, but the device is not portable. Since I do my practicing away from my apartment (outdoors or in my car), portability is a real issue, to the point where I just don't use my Kotler the way I had planned. :(

Can anyone recommend a transcribing device that is portable, along the lines of a walkman, and that ideally maintains a fairly undistorted sound at slower speeds?

[Stretch]

Try the Amazing Slow Downer computer software at www.ronimusic.com.

I copied the following description from the website:

"Slows down the speed of the music - between -50% and 400% time-stretching without changing the pitch.

Wrong key? Change the pitch in semi-tones - at full or lower speed.

Out of tune? Adjust the pitch in cents (100ths of a semi-tone) to suit your instrument.

Real-time processing - all described above is done in real-time - just insert the CD and press the play button!

Also slows down MP3, Wave and Windows Media Audio files on your computer in real-time.

Great stereo sound quality!

System requirements:
Windows 95/98/ME/2000/NT/XP
CD-player capable of digital reading"

[Stretch]

I meant to add that you need a laptop to make this software portable.

[BobH]

Thanks, Stretch. Wish I owned a laptop, but I don't and probably won't anytime soon. I was hoping for something self-contained, something I could stick a CD into and have at it with, but I guess the technology isn't out there yet.

[alsdiego]

Superscope makes a CD player in several models which allows you to change the tempo and/or the pitch. I just bought one on ebay, but haven't received it yet. The model number is PSD230.

Hope this helps,

Al

[BobH]

Thanks, Alsdiego! Yes, that sounds like what I had in mind. I'll check into it.

[BobH]

Just checked out the product specs. Perfect! Exactly what I wanted. Now to scrape together $599... :-)

Alsdiego, would once you've had time to work with the PS230 a bit, would you drop another note and share your feedback.

[Agent27]

I use SlowGold II

www.worldwidewoodshed.com

[RatBatBlues]

I've used the PSD230 for about 2 years now. It is handy for transcribing and practice, but there are a few things to note about it:

- The FF/Rev buttons are the kind you hold down to cue, and push/release to go to the next or previous track. This is really annoying if you release too quickly when cueing - really easy to do because the cue function is S-L-O-W unless you hold it for about 5 seconds, then it becomes way too fast. And the speed is different depending on whether the CD is paused or still playing. UGH!

- The A/B markers for the looping function have a 1 second resolution. That is, when you mark your A point, it is marked at the beginning of the second, and the B point is marked at the end of its second.

- If you release the cue too quickly while it's in the A/B loop, it will erase your markers and go to the next track, not to the beginning of the loop.

- You cannot adjust the tuning and the tempo simultaneously.

- The tempo adjustment only goes to 33% slower, not 50%. I believe it does go 50% faster.

- At about 20% slower tempo (actually 12%, but the indicator says 20), the sound gets wobbly, especially for low notes.

This does happen with most software I've used, except for the Chronotron II plugin for Winamp. That one uses frequency domain adjustments, which works much better but brings your computer to a crawl.

- The effects do not affect the RCA line outputs. The time effects, voice elimination, and EQ only affect the speakers and headphone outs. I connect the headphone out to a mixer.

- The builtin speakers are almost useless, and the only instrument input is an XLR.

Even with these annoyances, I use it constantly for practice and transcription, and it has held up remarkably well considering all the miles I've put on it.

If they could just add separate CUE buttons and a foot switch transport, it would be a much more useful product. I think I got mine as a B-stock special, for about $350.

[gemini]

I use SlowGold II

www.worldwidewoodshed.com

How do you like this product?? I've been wanting to look into this particular one for quite a while now.

[Big Nick]

Unsurprisingly, I suppose, 'Transcribe' is very good for transcribing.
http://www.seventhstring.demon.co.uk/xscribe/

[rek]

I also use "Transcribe." It is easy to use and works well.

[chayjazz]

Check out the "BackTrak" from Sabine. You can find it at many guitar stores, in fact I got mine at "The Guitar Center" in San Francisco. It's about the size of a rather large walkman, slows music down to 1/3 the speed of the original recording without changing the pitch. You don't record the whole song into it, just the phrase you want to transcribe. It's a great little device. Check it out.

[rek]

I used a similar product until I started to do it on the pc. Sound quality is much better with "Transribe", and it's way easier to isolate out different chunks of the song to work on.