Half speed MP3/CD music learning software for MAC?

[slimjw]

Hey folks - I have been searching the web for some sort of MP3/CD player for Mac that will allow me to slow down aiffs or mp3's so that I can learn some riffs and licks but so far I can't find a single thing. The only thing I can find is some Windows programs. Do any of you know of any freeware that will allow me to do this? Heck, I'll pay for something if it works.

Freakin' Line 6 has Guitarport, but of course they have been "in the process" of making a Mac version for about 3 years now...

Anyway, I would sure appreciate it if someone can point me to something like this!

- Jason

[eryque]

Jason, I've been using one called "The Amazing Slow-Downer". Not freeware though, I think I had to pay about $50.

[Jeff T]

Yup - Amazing Slow Downer is the one. It works real time with either a CD or mp3/wavs. It has a range bar for narrowing down on specific sections of a song and can output a slowed-down version to an mp3.

I got it for about $25 through a deal with www.truefire.com - it looks like its $40 there now.

[bender72]

Windows Media Player does this and its free. I've got version 9 and it has a setting that slows down mp3's.

[Hugh O'Connor]

Jason,
The Amazing Slow Downer is all you will need! I use it on my Mac G4 17" PB with the latest Mac Os. The guy that makes it is great at staying up to date with Apple and he will return emails if you have any problems. Works great with CDs or MP3s from iTunes, these stay linked in the ASD app. and you can make 10-11 presets for parts of songs.

[eryque]

Another feature is that you can set it to loop a particular segment of the song, which you choose. Ever have problems figuring out what that one note is? Well, slow the mother way down and isolate that note and you'll have it in a sec.

Very versatile stuff, and not a system hog. I'm running it on a nearly acient computer without problems.

[jimfog]

Yup.....Amazing Slower Downer ROCKS!!

Don't think....just GET it.

I also got a deal through "truefire.com"


-Jim

[Jeff T]

Hey Bender - well I'll be darned - that's pretty cool about Windows Media Player. It looks like it can only happen on XP but that's a start.

From the Microsoft website:
Variable Speed Playback & Media Link- Control the speed of audio or video without changing the pitch and tone perfect for quickly getting through a long video, or for aiding comprehension. Use Media Link to Email links to your own highlights from streamed news, presentations, home movies and more. (Variable Speed Playback on Windows XP, and Media Link on all supported OS versions)

[slimjw]

Hey fellers. Thanks for the tips. Amazing slow-downer sounds good. I couldn't tell from the website how much it will slow down a file. I did read this part:

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

Does that mean it goes from 1/2 speed to 4x speed? I'm thinking there are going to be some crazy licks that I'm going to need at least 1/4 speed for. I'm working on my hybrid picking right and at this point a lot of modern country solos might as well be high math with as much as I can pick up at full speed.

Transcribe! is another Mac one that looks pretty good. Both are similarly priced.

- Jason

Originally Posted by slimjw

I couldn't tell from the website how much it will slow down a file. I did read this part: "Slows down the speed of the music - between -50% and 400% time-stretching without changing the pitch" Does that mean it goes from 1/2 speed to 4x speed?

No, it means it goes from 1/2 speed (say, metronome 120 if the original speed had been a brisk 240) to eight times that slow – or in this case, a glacial 15. That's not slow, that's sssssssssssssssssssssssss...

lllllllllllllllllllll...

oooooooooooooooooo... (zzzzzzzzz...huh? say wha? ) ;-)

wwwwwwwwwww.

So slow it's difficult to remember where the notes are in context – but it does mean that NO note will ever elude you. Highly recommended. :-) CS

[Hugh O'Connor]

Jason,
Please do not buy "Transkriber"! Years ago I did and it took forever (and too many rounds of email) for them to send me the program and it was a complete waste of cash.
The Amazing Slow Downer is the complete opposite, you down load and use right away, if you like it you pay and you get a code to unlock, very modern way of doing it, trust me. Most important for us, it works GREAT on a Mac.
Oh, I just looked at "Trancribe!", what's with the interface? They did not use any of the Os X stuff! I'd pass on that one too.
Hugh

[transmaniacon]

SlimJW Wrote:

Does that mean it goes from 1/2 speed to 4x speed? I'm thinking there are going to be some crazy licks that I'm going to need at least 1/4 speed for. I'm working on my hybrid picking right and at this point a lot of modern country solos might as well be high math with as much as I can pick up at full speed.

holy cow who's stuff are you working on?

Steve

[miguel]

Amazing Slow Downer costs $39.95. It does work very well.

Another option I'm not certain of is Audacity. If money is an issue, you might want want to try it, it's open source and works on OS X. It's a sound editor which I use mostly to translate OGG to MP3 or to capture cassette material on MP3. I think, but am not certain, it allows you to slow down playback. I'll find out when I get back home.

However, Amazing has an interface built exactly for what you want to do.

Miguel

[miguel]

Whoops, I should have checked this out first but it turns out Audacity does both tempo and pitch shift on playback. "Three new effects change the pitch and tempo of a track:

* Change Pitch raises or lowers the tone of a selection, without affecting the speed.
* Change Tempo makes the selection play faster or slower, without altering the pitch.
* Change Speed alters both the playback speed and the pitch, just like changing the speed of a turntable or tape player."

Check this page out:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/stablenotes.php