Whos the best transcriber on here and why?

InfinityEX!!!

:D!

I hope you understand that "transcriptions/transcribe" and "arrangements/arrange" are two different things.

Anyone who listens through generic speakers, plays audio through lousy playback applications like quicktime, itunes, winamp, windows media player, and the likes, lacks experience or is not musically trained, doesn't own an instrument, has bad relative pitch, cannot tell the difference between files that were encoded at a low bitrate vs that at a higher bitrate, and ultimately has hearing problems, then you're not a transcriber. If you transcribe using ibuds, then that makes you a :cracker:

If you're not one of them then congrats, you're a fully licensed transcriber (transcribers do get paid did you know?)

Honestly, I've admired Josh's playing/transcribing skills for quite sometime. By playing his works it's really clear that he knows exactly what he's doing on the page. I believe that the level of difficulty of his transcriptions are almost perfect for all level of musicians, entry or professional alike. :D

I appreciate InfinityEX's effort of making strings-based scores popular. I'm not too a very experienced string player, but at least I can say that his stuff is quality transcriptions for string solos and string ensembles. I am his follower (or, wanna-be follower).

Although, I don't believe in the "best" transcriber thing. I think everyone has their own tricks, techniques and ways of transcribing. Even though in a transcription the song is not originally created, but for most of the time, much of the harmony is. In that case, everyone's got their own style and sometimes it's not comparable amongst experienced transcribers. :D

@ burncao: I don't quite understand your concept of listening through generic speaks while playing audio through WPM and similar applications being apart of the list of reasons to not be a transcriber.

I hope you understand that "transcriptions/transcribe" and "arrangements/arrange" are two different things.

Anyone who listens through generic speakers, plays audio through lousy playback applications like quicktime, itunes, winamp, windows media player, and the likes, lacks experience or is not musically trained, doesn't own an instrument, has bad relative pitch, cannot tell the difference between files that were encoded at a low bitrate vs that at a higher bitrate, and ultimately has hearing problems, then you're not a transcriber. If you transcribe using ibuds, then that makes you a :cracker:

If you're not one of them then congrats, you're a fully licensed transcriber (transcribers do get paid did you know?)

Bullshit.

A transcriber is, SIMPLY, just a person who listens to a piece of music (without reference to a score) and is able to write down what he's hearing; he may be able to transcribe the whole song immediately, or go through trial and error with the note-by-note technique.

Sound quality or bitrates have 0% to do with transcribing music. I have excellent hearing, yet I can bare to listen to music through my laptop speakers, earbuds or anything else of less quality; I also use my HQ headphone-mic, which was well over $60. And I have a pretty darn good relative pitch, if I do say so myself. (Not perfect, but once again, that has nothing to do with the quality of the sound.) As for finding bitrate, that's even more different. If you have heard the difference large and small bitrates (you've been "told" what they are) then you'd know, but if you don't know what the hell it even is, just like Beethoven or Chopin do not, it's 100% fine.

Don't let this ass fool you; as I just said, he's just an ass trying to fool you.

josh is my idol. that is all.


Oh and agreed with mazeppa. ^
and TY hayama317!

I'm more popular with people who plays stringed instruments xD. No contest in that area really... I'm the only one >.>

Nah I was only kidding. You don't need them to be a transcriber so long as you understand how music is put together. Though they do help considerably. I find arranging a lot easier than doing transcriptions, which most of us do am I correct? If you're listening to a dense song then picking out the background instrument is a difficult task. If picking out background instruments is easy then you probably have very keen ears.

In the end if it's too difficult to transcribe and you decide to do it your way, it's no longer a transcription, but an arrangement. That defeats the purpose of this thread. A transcription doesn't have to be a 1:1 replica of the original (if you could then you must be god) so long as it sounds like the original that professional transcriptionists can't tell apart.

Tbh I don't see that many transcriptions nowadays. Afterall, we take a full scale song and "arrange" it for just one instrument (ei. piano).

Nah I was only kidding. You don't need them to be a transcriber so long as you understand how music is put together. Though they do help considerably. I find arranging a lot easier than doing transcriptions, which most of us do am I correct? If you're listening to a dense song then picking out the background instrument is a difficult task. If picking out background instruments is easy then you probably have very keen ears.

In the end if it's too difficult to transcribe and you decide to do it your way, it's no longer a transcription, but an arrangement. That defeats the purpose of this thread. A transcription doesn't have to be a 1:1 replica of the original (if you could then you must be god) so long as it sounds like the original that professional transcriptionists can't tell apart.

Tbh I don't see that many transcriptions nowadays. Afterall, we take a full scale song and "arrange" it for just one instrument (ei. piano).


You, brncao are now DOUBLE *ASS* stamped. You don't say just kidding after all that bull shit. Either you didn't know better till Mazeppa set you straight or your acting dumb.

In the field we refer to arrangements more as as in our own compositions because we create or add something new. A transcription, just because we do it our way does not nullify it from being a transcription. Perfect transcriptions are rare. Its more about the intention. If we label it as a transcription, and it does not sound like it, then its just a poor transcription so no need to get so Technical about the definitions.

As for transcribers. I also nominate Josh Agarrado. He is one of the best transcribers I know for anime music on the piano. The quality of his pieces are higher compared to most other transcribers. Just check out some of his pieces or even better compare some of his pieces that other transcribers have also transcribed.

This topic will not end well :P

Josh is like... on a totally different level. I totally worship that guy :lol: There's probably a good reason why I always go to his site for sheet music, srsly.

Sperion's up there as well.

I just have to add, a lot of the time it doesn't matter if a song is transcribed 100% the same as the original or if some parts, such as the harmony, is created by the transcriber, so long as the song is of good quality, sounds nice, playable, and identifiable. :D The important thing isn't whether or not it's a "transcription" or "arrangement" or what you have it; all that matters is the public's acceptance, and the fact that musicians enjoy playing the provided scores. We should be thankful that there are so many wonderful people out there who are doing us a favour by putting in the effort to make free sheets possible, instead of nagging about them.

sheesh so much hostility around here. I didn't mean to flame anyone. I wasn't serious about my first post (my apology), but I still stand corrected by what I've said in the other post.

Josh has a lot of arrangements so that means he has a lot of experience. I bet his first sheet music wasn't the best, and this is probably true for most beginners at arranging/transcribing.

Back on topic. My vote goes for Josh as well because of the numerous arrangements he's done.
Also DJ Bouche on Josh's site. That guy is incredible. I've listened to some of his midis and he can pick out instruments that nobody hears through that thick layer of instruments. That means a simple piano arrangement would mean nothing to him.

I think I heard a full midi version of an original song (don't remember what it was called) that was transcribed by josh

Edit: after going through the entire database of midis, Josh only has one. "Houki Boshi" (Bleach). Must be his favorite track. Now this is a transcription.

brncao, I just thought that your first post was funny. I find no hostility in that post (mostly because I skipped lines. xD).

I don't know why people are saying pure transcriptions are rare; all of the ones I've done are 100% correct, ESPECIALLY piano solos. :\

I have no intention to get off topic, but why does such a topic as this one needed upon which to be discussed? (In other words, why such a discussion?)

There are such things as "pure transcriptions." It does not matter what quality of software/equipment one has. When I was still transcribing (which I don't know if I will ever get back to doing) by MIDI and MP3, I started off just using a 30-day free trial of Finale Printmusic 2007, later buying it. Also, there are many cases in which there can be many ways to notate a passage (e.g. cadenzas).

An arrangement should not be done because "it's too difficult to transcribe." An arrangement is only meant to add what one wants to add.

I would just like to say that I believe this topic should be locked, for I don't see a reason for such a topic to even start in these forums. A transcriber is a transcriber; there is no reason to hierarchize transcribers. I'll end here.

InfinityEX because he'll be crushed if I dont say it :P

realistically, I appreciate Josh's work as he is literally pooping out transcriptions one-after-another

Nah, this thread asks for the BEST.
Josh as I said before, wins hands down. no contest. Although spearion is pretty amazing too o.0
Then there is PorscheGTII....

I think it would be interesting if people replied there favorite (best) transcriber(s) with an attached sheet of what they think is there best and/or favorite work.


Transcriber: Josh

My Fav: Azurite ~ for luster star Deianeira ~ from Heroic Age
Sheet: http://josh.agarrado.net/music/anime/getfile.php?file=1324
Midi: http://josh.agarrado.net/music/anime/getfile.php?file=1323
Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HAsYGGQhZk

What I think his best is: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni
Midi: http://josh.agarrado.net/music/anime/getfile.php?file=1325
Sheet: http://josh.agarrado.net/music/anime/getfile.php?file=1326
Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzQxAIwHUiU

i personally find tracscriptions quite long to do, the quickest i did a transcription was 2 hours i think. Without a doubt the best transcriber that i know has got to be josh, that guy is on a whole different level

Nah, this thread asks for the BEST.
Josh as I said before, wins hands down. no contest. Although spearion is pretty amazing too o.0
Then there is PorscheGTIII....

^_^

Josh keeps the anime sheet music world as vibrant as it is today. He has gone above and beyond the call of duty to bring some many sheets into the public domain.

He should quote that for public rep. XD