How can we make music on a computer slow down so that we can practise better?

Many students across the country use the commendable repertoire from Rock School’s graded books for the performing components of Standard Grade, Higher and Advanced Higher Music. One of the advantages of the CD which comes with each book is that pupils can play along with a professional accompaniment. This is only a snag when the song concerned is up tempo. By the time a pupil is sufficiently skilled to play along, the primary reason for doing so is no longer relevant.

In such cases, I’d recommend slowing down the original track using two free programs:

1. iTunes from Apple
2. Audacity from Source Forge

Follow the steps below:

• import CD track(s) into iTunes (free download form Apple)
• to check that they will import as wav files (the best sound) follow the route below:
• Edit / Preferences / Advanced / Importing
• then check that the pull-down window is set to wav
• mp3 would work too but the sound is not as good
• Apple’s own format called AAC (advanced audio coding) will not work in this procedure!
• download Audacity free of charge from Source Forge
• Then open a track in Audacity
• Before doing anything, the program needs to know which part you want to change - in this case it’s the whole track so Select All (short cut Ctrl+A)
• Go to the Effect menu and go down to Change Tempo
• be careful not to choose Change Speed - as this will alter the pitch of the notes too - it’s ok for a laugh, but you’ll be in the wrong key!
• until you get used to this, I’d recommend just using the slider rather than entering figures in the dialogue boxes - you can see the figures change as you do it.
• experiment a few times and you’ll see how much you need to go - the faster the original song the more you’ll need to slow it down to be able to play along
• Remember that when you open a tune in Audacity you haven’t lost the original file - Audacity simply makes a copy in its own style e.g. song_name.aup - which then can’t be opened in any other program

Categories: Active Learning, Digital Literacy, Music, Technology