Transcribe! History

Andy Robinson - would you use software written by this man?

The first picture is from a National Theatre production of a Russian play called The Forest, a few years ago. The second is from a show called For The Love Of Chocolate at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Festival 2003. The third is from the Globe Theatre's production of Bedlam, 2010. I don't know when I will next get to wear a silly moustache but it will appear here when I do.

Click here for some information about my musical activities.

Transcribe! Versions 1 - 6

I wrote the first versions of Transcribe for my own use in summer 1998 and various flavours of version 1 appeared on the web in late 1998 / early 1999. At this point it was Windows only. It had the "spectrum analysis" feature but no "slowdown without pitch change" or "record to file". These last two features were added in response to user feedback, and version 2 was released August 1999. I also changed the name about this time from "Transcribe" to "Transcribe!" as I was advised that using an ordinary English word as a product name is a bad idea. I got the idea from Rogers and Hammerstein (what does he mean?).

I had quite a few enquiries from Macintosh users, so I decided it would be a good idea, and highly educational, to get a Mac and learn how to program it. The Windows version (up to version 6) uses Microsoft Visual C++ with the Microsoft Foundation Classes application framework. I looked into various cross-platform development systems, but in the end on the Mac (up to version 6) I used MetroWerks CodeWarrior C++ with the PowerPlant application framework, which meant rewriting all the user interface and OS interface code for the Mac version. Most of the DSP (digital signal processing) code ported straight across though.

The first Mac version - 2 - was released in March 2000

Version 3 was released on both platforms in July 2000 and features direct reading of MP3 files amongst other improvements.

Version 4 was released on both platforms in March 2001. New features include continuously-variable slowdown as well as the whole number ratios previously offered, and hands-free operation (using a MIDI pedal).

Version 5 was released on both platforms in August 2001. New features include parametric EQ filter and many other improvements.

The first Mac OS-X version 5 was released in April 2002. This is a "Carbon" application using MetroWerks CodeWarrior C++ with the PowerPlant application framework.

Version 5.2 was released on all three platforms in June 2002. Principle feature of this version is improved quality of slowed-down sound.

Version 6 was released on all three platforms in Jan 2003. Main features are direct reading of audio from CD under Windows NT/2000/XP (Mac OS-X version already supports this), and many small improvements mostly related to the user interface.

Transcribe! Version 7

Version 7.0 was released for Windows and Linux in April 2004, and for Mac in July 2004. It is a major redesign and rewrite. It's written in C++ and uses the wxWidgets cross-platform application framework on all platforms.

The windows and menus of the program are laid out in a more logical and convenient way, the Help system is much improved, many more sound file formats can be read, there is stereo playback, better sound quality, 31 band graphic EQ, transposition, configurable keyboard shortcuts, multiple stored loops, provision for adding textual annotations (in 7.1), and many many more improvements.

Equally importantly, the rewritten program is internally elegant and targets Windows, Mac and Linux from a single source code. This makes it enormously easier to work on, so ensuring that Transcribe! can continue to move forwards.

Version 7.1 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released in October 2004. It addresses issues affecting 7.0, adds "text blocks" (annotations) and many small improvements.

Version 7.20 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released in April 2005. Main features are improved quality of sound when changing pitch or speed, more powerful EQ filter and various improvements to the user interface.

Version 7.21 for Mac is a minor bugfix, 27 June 2005.

Version 7.30 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released 13th February 2006. Main features are support for transcriber's footpedals (non-MIDI), unicode support on Mac, new Help system for Mac & Linux, and many other improvements.

Version 7.31 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released 31st May 2006. Main features are Global Shortcuts (hotkeys), support for more sound file formats, and "Universal Binary" Mac version.

Version 7.32 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released 4 Oct 2006. Various minor bugfixes/improvements, and support for affiliates, see this page.

Version 7.40 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released 4 Feb 2007. Main features are note & chord guessing, Windows Vista compatibility and improved support for systems with multiple displays.

Version 7.40.4 for Mac (2 April 2007) is a fix for an occasional crashing bug affecting only a very small number of people.

Version 7.41.1 for Linux (15 April 2007) is a substantial upgrade to bring the Linux version up to date (GTK2, ALSA, unicode text, midi input).

Version 7.43 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released 1 Oct 2007. Main features are Automation (scripting), and support for FLAC sound files. Also a bugfix for the Windows version which would sometimes not exit cleanly when you quit the program.

Version 7.50 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released 16 Jan 2008. Main new feature is video (on Windows & Mac, not yet Linux).

Version 7.51 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released 12 Feb 2009. Improved loop-store capability, Video Viewer "always on top" mode (on Windows), dB calibration lines, "Time Line", many other small improvements.

Version 7.51.2 for Mac, 13 March 2009, is a fix for a drag-n-drop incompatibility with the new iTunes version 8.1 (which does things a bit differently for some reason). This fix is necessary for dragging tracks from iTunes to Transcribe!

Transcribe! Version 8

Version 8.00 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released 20 Nov 2009. It features a whole new layout and look, along with various improvements to sound file handling, some new commands, and various other improvements and bugfixes.

Version 8.10 for Windows, Mac and Linux was released 3 Aug 2010. It has video export, font selection in text blocks, and many other small improvements and bugfixes.

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