I have been taking blues piano lessons for a few months and we are following the Tim Richards book. I would like to develop a skill for picking out the various licks from songs I listen to. Is there a method to this?

Also, is there any software that can maybe help with this if I was using an .mp3 or CD? Something that could slow it down and/or automatically loop it between two points.

I think this would be a fun way to learn some licks and develop my ear at the same time. Any suggestions are welcome.

There are a few different programs to do this on a computer (just like there are a few different cassette or CD players that do it too -- except for the looping part as I recall).

I think my program is called Transcriber Pro. It's British, and cost something like US$25 to buy.

Audacity (shareware or freeware, I can't recall) has some cool features too.

One more thing...

www.versiontracker.com is an interesting place to lookup this kind of stuff.

I just did a quick check and didn't see Transcriber Pro, so I must have mis-remembered the name.

I've tried the free Audacity to slow down music and could not get it to work very well .....
but maybe I was not using it correctly.

There are quiet a few software programs that slow down and loop parts of songs.

Do a Google search on "slow down songs*.

I use a program called "SlowGold" ... works very weel.

weel .... well , its very early here !

What has helped me is to listen and then be able to write down the lick on staff paper, then write it in all 12 keys, and practice these separately and in a 12 bar blues progression too. Do you read and write music?
Also if you can pull the audio to any recording software, I use pro tools and Logic Pro, you should be able to loop it in the audio track.

I use the Amazing Slow Downer from Roni Music. You can slow down CD's and mp3's without changing pitch. You can set loop points. You can download the free trial version here:
Amazing Slow Downer

Hi,

This one seems good too. It's free and you can slow the music down, change pitch, and select which section you wish to loop.

Best Practice

If all you want to do is slow it down, the Windows Media Player that comes with Windows will do that. Press Ctrl +Shift +S

Cheers,

Chris