DJ Joe Jackson

Transcribers who work for a music transcription service write down notes based on what they hear in a recording. Transcribers may help a guitar player, who has been wanting to learn a solo, but just can't pick it out by ear. Or, transcribers may help a band that wants to publish a song, when no one in the band can write notation or tablature.

Transcribers may not write down each and every note, exactly as it sounds. Recording quality may not be great, or a piece may simply have too many intricate layers. What transcribers will do, however, is to capture the chords, rhythm, and melody, getting the big ideas on paper, and filling in the rest as closely as they can.

Many transcribers play an instrument, like piano or guitar. In addition, some transcribers have the gift of perfect pitch, which enables them to identify the exact pitches of notes and chords, by ear alone. Whether picking out the piece on an instrument, or utilizing a fantastic ear, transcribers will transfer the sound to the page.

Transcribers may arrange established pieces for new instruments. For instance, a transcriber may take a piano piece, and then arrange the piece for full orchestra, adding new tone colors and dimensions. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, for instance, began as a piano piece, before being transcribed for orchestra.

Software programs help transcribers to do their jobs. With notation software, transcribers will print out sheet music, and play recordings back to themselves, of what they have written. Special software dedicated to transcription will slow down recordings, and will even offer chord suggestions.

Musicians who want to hire a transcriber are only limited by their budget; transcribers sometimes transcribe an entire album, or even an entire discography. A transcriber is paid either by the hour, or by the piece. Whether musicians want to push forward with their playing, or prepare their recordings for publication, a music transcription service will be a valuable investment.