Tutorial•9 min read
How to Transcribe Classical Piano Music
Classical piano is one of the hardest things to transcribe well: dense voicing, pedal blur, and rubato all fight you. Here is how to get a clean score by ear or with AI, and what to expect.
Songscription Blog & Music Transcription Resources
Explore Songscription's guides to music transcription, sheet music, MIDI, piano roll, and AI-powered music learning, plus product updates and company announcements from the Songscription team.
All Articles
Tutorial•9 min read
How to Transcribe Gospel Piano
Gospel piano is built on rich chords, fast passing notes, and a feel that is hard to pin down. Here is how to transcribe it without losing what makes it gospel, by ear or with AI.
Resources•8 min read
What Is Music Transcription?
Music transcription is the act of writing down music you can hear but do not have on paper. Here is what it means, the forms it takes, and how AI changed who can do it.
Resources•7 min read
What Is Tablature (Guitar Tab)? A Plain-English Guide
Tablature shows you where to put your fingers instead of which notes to play. It is the fastest way for guitarists to read music, with one big trade-off. Here is how it works.
Resources•7 min read
What Is Transposition in Music?
Transposing a song means moving every note up or down by the same amount to land in a new key. Here is what that means, why musicians do it, and how to do it without rewriting everything.
Resources•6 min read
What Is a Time Signature?
The two numbers at the start of a piece tell you how to count it. Here is what the top and bottom mean, how 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8 actually feel, and how to find any song's time signature.
Resources•7 min read
What Is a Key Signature?
The sharps or flats at the start of a staff are a shortcut that tells you which key you are in. Here is how to read a key signature, identify the key, and use the circle of fifths.
Resources•6 min read
How to Read a Piano Roll
A piano roll turns music into a simple picture: pitch goes up, time goes right, and each bar is a note you hold. Here is how to read one, even if you have never read sheet music.
Resources•9 min read
How Does AI Music Transcription Work?
AI music transcription listens to a recording and writes out the notes. Here is what actually happens between the audio going in and the sheet music coming out, in plain language, plus where the technology is strong and where it still struggles.
Resources•7 min read
What Is MIDI? A Plain-English Guide for Musicians
MIDI is one of the most useful things in music software and one of the most misunderstood. The short version: it is not audio, it is a set of instructions for which notes to play and how. Here is what that means and why it matters for transcription.
Resources•7 min read
What Is MusicXML, and Why Does It Matter?
MusicXML is the file format that lets sheet music move between programs without being retyped. If you have ever wanted to open a score in MuseScore that started somewhere else, this is the format that makes it possible. Here is what it is and when to use it.
Resources•8 min read
What Is Stem Separation, and How Does It Help Transcription?
Stem separation splits a finished mix back into its parts: vocals here, drums there, bass on its own. It can be a useful step before transcribing a dense recording, though it is not something Songscription requires. Here is how it works and when it helps.
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