Slow Down Software?????

George Kovolenko · Post by **George Kovolenko** » 8 Jan 2010 11:47 am

A couple of years ago I saw an ad for software that would allow you to slow down the playing of audio files without changing the pitch of the music. I can't remember the name of it or where I saw it. Is anyone familair with this and if so where can I get information on it.

Thanks

George

Walter Bowden · Post by **Walter Bowden** » 8 Jan 2010 1:51 pm

Hi George. I believe you may be referring to "The Amazing Slow Downer" software program from Roni Music <www> I use it a lot on my Mac and it works great. You can even download a "demo" version for free and I used that for 3 or 4 months before I bought the full package. BTW I'm pretty sure it works on a PC as well. Best wishes. Walter

George Kovolenko · Post by **George Kovolenko** » 8 Jan 2010 2:57 pm

Thanks Walter... I'm going to download the demo this evening.

George

Post by **Joey Ace** » 10 Jan 2010 6:13 am

Also evaluate TRANSCRIBE!

http://www.seventhstring.com

I've used it for years. Great program.

There's a lot of good info to read on their website that applies to all music transcribers.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 12 Jan 2010 8:23 am

'Audacity' is an open source freeware program and does just that: changes tempo without changing pitch, or viceversa.

Check it out here:

http://audacity.sourceforge.net

Tom Keller · Post by **Tom Keller** » 12 Jan 2010 8:00 pm

I highly recommend Best Practice 1.03.1. The great thing is its free and does the same stuff that the more expensive products do.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia ... tice.shtml

Regards

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 12 Jan 2010 9:35 pm

Tom,

Check your email.

George Kovolenko · Post by **George Kovolenko** » 14 Jan 2010 4:36 am

Thanks for all of your input and advice. I'm in the process of testing these. I was interested in this type of software because I want to transcribe and learn some riffs for the lap steel for both western and hawaiian. A note of interest that I didn't consider.... since most of the notes "slide" from one to the other (because its a steel guitar, duh...) there is not much quiet time between the notes so it's not as easy as I thought it would be to decipher the notes, and playing the song "too slow" makes it harder.

That being said, playing some of these classics slower really points out the precision that these masters played with. I found that some of the phrasing and accent notes are so subtle that at full speed you're not sure what you're hearing but song would not be the same if they were missing. Makes me realize that I need a lot more practice.

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 15 Jan 2010 3:17 pm

single malt scotch works for me.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 15 Jan 2010 8:30 pm

Terry,

ARGGH MATEY...coondt agree widge ya ennymore.

I prefer Barcardi, meself.

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 19 Jan 2010 12:17 pm

I use "Best Practice". It's just like Amazing Slowdowner with one amazing difference - it's free!

http://download.cnet.com/BestPractice/3 ... 94555.html

Chris Dorch · Post by **Chris Dorch** » 24 Feb 2010 10:43 am

There is a winamp plugin called pacemaker that does it too... Free...

Michael Sparks · Post by **Michael Sparks** » 7 Apr 2010 5:19 pm

Let me toss in my late two cents. I use RiffMaster. Abslutely great little program that also lets you adjust the pitch up or down as well as the tempo AND (the best part) save the altered file as an mp3 to, say, put on a cd and use. I also play fiddle and the program's capability to bump tunes up or down by half-steps is invaluable.

Rick Schacter · Post by **Rick Schacter** » 23 Apr 2010 7:43 am

Does any of the software mentioned determine what the original tempo is for the song being transcribed?

Rick

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 23 Apr 2010 10:09 am

Rick,

Most audio programs dealing with tempo & pitch usually show in linear or graphic pics the speed of the song going down. One way or the other.

I'm not sure I quite understand what you're asking. $:\$

Try out Audacity. It's free. See if it does what you're looking for.

Danny Naccarato · Post by **Danny Naccarato** » 24 Apr 2010 7:55 am

The last Musicians Union newsletter had mention of an iPhone/iPod app for changing the pitch, as well as speed adjustments... Can't remember what it was called howeverand I've tossed the newsletter. I'm sure a Google search will turn it up.

Rick Schacter · Post by **Rick Schacter** » 26 Apr 2010 10:16 am

Chip Fossa wrote:Rick,
I'm not sure I quite understand what you're asking. $:\$

Hi Chip,
Thanks for your reply.
I'm asking if it's possible to see what the original tempo is (bpm) before slowing the song down.

Thanks,

Rick

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 26 Apr 2010 11:16 am

Rick,

I would say YES; but only when you load the song into the program's main audio window.

You drag the song into the window [usually the way I do it - are other ways]. It pops right up.
Shows you it's audio wave pattern even before you click on anything else.

Click PLAY, now. Your song should simply play. And all pertinent info should be visually apparent as the song moves along.

SOOOOO!? You will have to, at this point, write down or put to memory what the BPMs are.

Then, when you decide to move the tempo up or down, you'll have to check out, again, the BPMs.

Once you change the tempo from the original, I don't believe there is an option to go back and check on the original BPM.

I'll try later to show you a comparison, right here, on a song, using either Audacity or Goldwave. I gotta go grocery shopping in a few minutes.

Rick Schacter · Post by **Rick Schacter** » 26 Apr 2010 11:45 am

Thanks Chip.

Rick

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 26 Apr 2010 12:33 pm

Rick,

I'm just getting back. Hang in there. And I'll see what I can do.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 26 Apr 2010 2:04 pm

Rick,

Here is what I've found;

First off, there is no EXACT display of BPM, that I can discern; in either Audacity or Goldwave. There are second-timers in each, however.

So here are pics from Audacity & Goldwave.

The 2 audio files were recorded with Audacity; because Audacity has the ability to change TEMPO without changing PITCH. Goldwave [as much as I love it] can't clap both hands at the same time.

With my limited PC know-how, this is the best I can do for ya.
I don't understand why you would want to pay that much attention to the BPMs? But, hey, that's OK.

"Durang's Hornpipe" performed by Dan Crary.

Regular speed [according to Dan

], and the slowed-down version.

http://picosong.com/Ff3
http://picosong.com/FfY

Good Luck, friend

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 26 Apr 2010 6:12 pm

I use a program called slow gold from
http://www.worldwidewoodshed.com/

$49.95. It shows original speed, slow down speed. You can change the pitch if you like as well.
For me, it was worth 50 bucks to have a no problem program like this.

It has a demo you can try out.

Rick Schacter · Post by **Rick Schacter** » 26 Apr 2010 6:36 pm

Chip Fossa wrote:
I don't understand why you would want to pay that much attention to the BPMs? But, hey, that's OK.

So I know where to set the click track for a drummer.

Thanks for your help Chip.
BTW, cool song.

Rick

Rick Schacter · Post by **Rick Schacter** » 26 Apr 2010 6:37 pm

Ken Lang wrote:I use a program called slow gold from
http://www.worldwidewoodshed.com/

$49.95. It shows original speed, slow down speed. You can change the pitch if you like as well.
For me, it was worth 50 bucks to have a no problem program like this.

It has a demo you can try out.

Thanks Ken.
I'll check it out.

Rick

Greg Wisecup · Post by **Greg Wisecup** » 17 May 2010 11:08 am

http://www.nchsoftware.com/ Free + a whole lot more!!