A Transcribe! Alternative
Last updated: October 2026
Slow down music without changing pitch and loop the passage you're learning — in your browser, on desktop or phone, with YouTube built in.
LoopTube is a free, web-based alternative to Transcribe!: it slows down audio files and YouTube videos without changing the pitch and loops any passage, and shifts the key of your audio files — in your browser on desktop or phone, without uploading your files to a server.
Transcribe! from Seventh String Software is a long-standing desktop app built for working out music by ear — it slows recordings down, loops sections, and analyses the spectrum to suggest notes and chords. If you need those analysis tools, it's excellent. If you mostly need to hear a passage slowly and on repeat, want to work from YouTube, or want to practise on your phone or tablet, LoopTube covers that part in the browser.
A Web-Based Transcribe! Alternative
There's nothing to install: LoopTube works the same on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, iPhone, iPad and Android. Audio is processed on your own device, and YouTube is built in — paste a link instead of ripping the audio first.
Transcribe! vs LoopTube
| Transcribe! | LoopTube | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39 licence, with a free trial | Free (Pro adds export and cloud sync) |
| Runs on | Windows, Mac and Linux — not phones or tablets | Any modern browser, desktop or phone |
| Slow down without changing pitch | Yes, down to 1/20 speed | Yes, 25%–200% |
| Change key without changing tempo | Yes, up to three octaves, fine-tune in cents | Yes, ±12 semitones — on audio files (not YouTube) |
| Loops | Named loops, plus markers for sections, bars and beats | A/B loop with saved loops |
| Note and chord guessing | Yes, with spectrum analysis | No |
| EQ and vocal reduction | Yes | No |
| Video | Plays video files | Loops YouTube videos directly by link |
| Your audio files | Stay on your computer | Stay in your browser — never uploaded |
When Transcribe! Is the Better Choice
- You want note and chord suggestions from spectrum analysis.
- You're marking up a whole recording bar by bar, with labels and markers.
- You need extreme slow-downs for very fast runs, an EQ, or foot-pedal control.
When LoopTube Is the Better Choice
- The recording you're learning is on YouTube — paste the link, no file needed.
- You practise on a phone or tablet, or move between devices.
- You want something free and instant for looping a few bars until they're under your fingers.
- You teach: send a student a link that opens on the exact loop, or embed the looper on your own site.
How to Slow Down and Loop a Passage in LoopTube
- Add your music — paste a YouTube link on the homepage, or open LoopTube and drop in an MP3, WAV or M4A file.
- Set a loop — drag the A and B markers around the phrase.
- Slow it down — drag Tempo down; the pitch stays put. On an audio file you can shift the key separately too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free alternative to Transcribe!?
Yes. LoopTube is free and runs in your browser: load an audio file or paste a YouTube link, slow it down without changing the pitch and loop the passage you're transcribing — on audio files you can shift the key too. It doesn't do note or chord guessing — for that, Transcribe! is the specialist.
Can I use Transcribe! on an iPhone, iPad or Android phone?
Seventh String says Transcribe! runs on Windows, Mac and Linux, not on phones or tablets. LoopTube works in any mobile browser and can be added to your home screen like an app, so you can keep practising a passage away from your computer.
Can LoopTube guess notes or chords like Transcribe!?
No. Transcribe! has spectrum analysis with note and chord guessing; LoopTube doesn't. LoopTube focuses on hearing the passage clearly — slowing it down without changing the pitch and looping it (plus shifting the key, on audio files) — so you can work it out by ear.
Can I transcribe from a YouTube video?
Yes. Paste the YouTube link into LoopTube, set A and B loop points around the phrase, and slow it down. You don't need to find or download the audio first.
How slow can LoopTube go?
Tempo goes from 25% to 200% with the pitch preserved, and on audio files pitch shifts up or down by up to 12 semitones on its own (YouTube's player only supports speed changes). Transcribe! can go slower (down to 1/20 speed), which helps with very fast runs.
Is LoopTube affiliated with Seventh String Software?
No. Transcribe! is made by Seventh String Software. LoopTube is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Seventh String.
Related
- An Amazing Slow Downer alternative — how LoopTube compares with Roni Music's app.
- Music Practice Player — slow songs down to learn them by ear.
- Slow Down an Audio File — tempo and pitch, independently.
Transcribe! is a product of Seventh String Software. LoopTube is not affiliated with or endorsed by Seventh String. Prices and features are taken from their published pages as of October 2026 and may have changed since.
Try It on the Passage You're Learning
Free in your browser — YouTube links and your own audio files. No account needed.
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