Transcribing music, especially vocal lines

Klorgnum

I have an okay ear, and I can use my guitar to figure out what notes most instruments are playing without a huge amount of trouble. My problem is that I want to try making some solo-guitar arrangements, but most of the time when I try to figure out vocals I just get stuck. I can't find a single note that seems to fit in the melody. I even have trouble figuring out the range the line might be in.
Does anyone have any tips for transcribing vocal lines for guitar/general transcription advice?

Thanks

Hey Ashtray

I don't really understand your problem. If you can sing along with the vocal line, it should be no problem to take what you just sang and figure it out on an instrument, even if you have to go note by note. Eventually the note by note will turn into phrase by phrase.

echolocation

Download the program Audacity and load the song into the program. Audacity allows you to slow down the song and play specific parts of it over and over so you can nail the solo. (or at least that's what I use it for)

So I guess you could probably use it all the same for finding out how to transcribe vocal to guitar.

I had a really good video that taught you how to do it it, I'll update if I find it.\

Edit: Found it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHhXQu3knco&feature=channel_page

Killrbuckeye.

Klorgnum

Ashtray: I haven't tried singing along with it, because I can't really sing. I'm not sure what my results would be. I'll give it a try though.

Echolocation: I already use audacity. I'm hesitant to use the slow down plugin because of the amount of distortion it introduces. Even when I'm looping a small portion of the vocals, I can't seem to figure it out.

Hey Ashtray

Klorgnum wrote: »

Ashtray: I haven't tried singing along with it, because I can't really sing. I'm not sure what my results would be. I'll give it a try though.

Echolocation: I already use audacity. I'm hesitant to use the slow down plugin because of the amount of distortion it introduces. Even when I'm looping a small portion of the vocals, I can't seem to figure it out.

It doesn't have to be in a pleasant singing voice, but you must be able to match a pitch? That's the only way to internalize a line is by singing it first, then getting it on the instrument is just a matter of finding the first note and the rest of the line will come out from there, since you already have it in your head.