Main screen
Contents

Overview

Menu Options:

File

Play

Options

Main Window Features:

Info Box

#Samples/Note

Section Play

Other:

Octive Number Chart


Overview of Transcribe

Transcribe is a tool that converts a Windows WAVE file into musical notes.  It helps a musician figure out how to play various songs.  It takes an 8-bit mono Windows WAVE file, and calculates what notes are being played, with respect to time.  The programs also has the ability to play a section of the WAVE file.  This gives the user the ability to analyze the calculated notes.

Calculations are multitasked, so Transcribe can be minimized and the percentage of calculations completed will be displayed in the icon.


File menu

Open: This option will allow you to choose your WAVE file.  After making your selection, you must choose 'Start Calculating' from the File menu, in order for the calculations to start.

Save Calculations: This option will save the data in the Time:Note:Octive list box, into a file.

Recalculate: You may press this at any time, after you have opened a WAVE file with the 'Open' option in the File menu. A percent done meter will be updated in the upper left corner of the Transcribe window.  Also, you can minimize the window and a percent done will be displayed in the icon box.

Exit: This will end your session.


Play
Play Menu

Play All:

Plays the entire WAVE file.  You must first Open a file.

Play Loop:

Continuously play your selected wave file.  To stop this process, you must choose 'Stop Audio' from the Play menu.

Play Section:

This option allows you to play a small section of your wave file, in order to check for accuracy.  You must specify a start and stop time, in seconds.  You can do this by either entering the numbers in the boxes next to the start and stop buttons, or click to a selection in the Time:Note:Octive  listbox and then press the start or stop button to copy the time number into the respective box.

Stop:

Stop the audio output.


Options Menu

Calc Mode:

You may either check 'Notes and Octives' or 'Notes Only'.

Notes and Octives: This option calculates notes and the degree of the octive with respect to time.  This is a lengthier operation.

Notes only: Choosing this option only calculates notes with respect to time.

Tuning:

The standard tuning is to have A (above middle C) equal to 440Hz.  This menu option allows you to adjust this value.


Info Box

File:	Name of file currently working on.

Sample Size:	Number of samples(discrete points) in the wave file.

Sample Freq:	The sampling frequency(Hz) at the time of recording.


#Samples/Note

Transcribe can calculate a note every 4096, 2048, 1024, or 512 samples.  For accuracy, you would want to pick a high number like 4096.  However, for fast notes (i.e. guitar solos), you will have to use a smaller samples/note choice.  You will have to experiment, in order to decide which choice is best for your wave file.

Also, for low notes (i.e. bass notes), use a high samples/note number.  But for higher pitched notes, you can use a smaller samples/note value.

A good strategy would be to start with samples/note equal to 4096 and work your way down until your find a choice that gives you an accurate output.


Section Play

Play Section Button:

This option allows you to play a small section of your wave file, in order to check for accuracy.  You must specify a start and stop time, in seconds.  You can do this by either entering the numbers in the boxes next to the start and stop buttons, or click to a selection in the Time:Note:Octive  listbox and then press the start or stop button to copy the time number into the respective box.


Octive Chart

Chart representing notes and octive degrees of an 88 key keyboard.