Learning Songs by Ear

This chapter focuses on the core challenge: figuring out what's being played in a recording. Whether you're working on a tricky guitar solo, trying to nail down the exact voicing of a chord, or attempting to hear a bass line buried in the mix, Capo provides tools to slow down without changing pitch, isolate parts, and analyze the music without losing audio quality.

Working on Difficult Passages

The hardest parts of any song often go by too fast to catch on first listen. Capo's combination of looping, slowing, and precise playback control lets you break down any passage into manageable pieces.

Slowing Down Without Changing Pitch

One of Capo's most powerful features is its ability to slow songs down to a quarter of their original speed without changing the pitch. A blazing guitar solo at 180 BPM becomes a manageable 45 BPM, giving you time to hear every note clearly.

Click the speed button in the toolbar to reveal the speed controls. Drag the speed slider left to slow down, right to speed up. You can adjust anywhere between 25% and 150% speed.

Quick speed adjustments:

In the speed controls, you'll see the actual tempo in beats per minute after your speed adjustment is applied. This helps when you're trying to build up to performance speed gradually–maybe you master a passage at 70 BPM and want to practice it next at 80 BPM.

Using the Transcription Playhead for Repeated Attempts

When you're trying to identify a specific note or figure out exactly when a chord changes, you want to hear the same moment over and over again. The Transcription Playhead makes this effortless.

Enable the Transcription Playhead by clicking its button in the playback controls in the toolbar. Once enabled, pressing Play will always start from the same point–the playback position where you enabled the Transcription Playhead. You no longer have to reposition the playhead after each playback.

This becomes especially powerful when you're picking out individual notes. Set the Transcription Playhead just before the note you're trying to identify, then repeatedly press Play and Stop (spacebar does both) to hear that moment again and again. When you've got it, toggle the Transcription Playhead off and back on to move to the next note.

Combining with Markers:

Place Markers at each note or phrase you want to work on, then use the Marker navigation arrows (or ⌥← and ⌥→) to jump between them. The Transcription Playhead automatically moves to each Marker location, giving you a pre-marked practice path through a difficult passage.

Audio Scrubbing: Freezing Notes in Time

Sometimes you need to hear a single note or chord frozen in time, without the rest of the music rushing past. Capo's audio scrubbing feature–powered by its "Audio Freezer" engine–lets you do exactly that.

To scrub the audio:

Click and drag the playhead in the timeline area above the waveform. Capo immediately switches to scrubbing mode, letting you move back and forth through the audio. Scrubbing slowly lets you focus on specific sounds, holding a note frozen while you identify it on your instrument. If the song was playing before you began scrubbing, playback will resume when you release the playhead.

Using scrubbing with the spectrogram:

In the Tabbing Song View, scrubbing combined with the spectrogram becomes incredibly powerful. The same waveform and timeline appear above the spectrogram, so you can scrub through the audio while watching the frequency of notes appear visually, helping you confirm what your ears are hearing. Learn more in Transcribing Notes Using Capo.

Creating Regions for Practice

Regions let you mark a section of the song for repeated playback–perfect for working on a solo, a chord progression, or any passage that needs focused attention.

To create a Region:

  1. Click and drag across the waveform in the Song Area to select the section you want to loop
  2. Or, use the region controls in the toolbar and click Add Region to create a region spanning the current bar

Once created, the Region will display handles on either side that you can drag to adjust its boundaries. By default, Regions snap to the nearest beat as you resize them–hold the shift key while dragging if you need to position the Region more precisely without snapping.

To activate a Region for looping:

Simply click the Region to select it. When selected, the Region highlights and the Play button changes to indicate that playback will loop within the selected Region.

You can rename Regions by clicking their title while selected–helpful when you're working on multiple sections and want to remember what "Region 3" was supposed to be.

Use the arrow buttons on either side of the region controls in the toolbar to jump between Regions. When a Region is active, moving to another Region automatically selects it for looping. This lets you quickly transition between the sections you're practicing.

You can also use ⇧⌥← and ⇧⌥→ keyboard shortcuts to navigate between Regions.

Building Speed Gradually

The key to learning difficult passages isn't just slowing them down–it's systematically building back up to performance speed.

A typical practice progression:

  1. Create a Looping Region around the difficult section
  2. Set the speed to 50% and play through until comfortable
  3. Increase to 60%, practice until clean
  4. Continue increasing by 10% increments
  5. At 90-95%, most passages start feeling natural
  6. Practice at 100% speed until it's automatic

If you struggle at any speed, drop back down rather than forcing it. The goal is to train your muscle memory at a speed where you can play accurately.

Preset speed configurations with MIDI:

Advanced users can set up MIDI foot pedals or control surfaces with preset speed buttons–one button for 50% playback, another for 75%, another for 100%. This lets you switch speeds without taking your hands off your instrument. See MIDI and Keyboard Remote Control for details.

Getting the Chords Right

Capo's automatic chord detection gives you a strong starting point, but recordings are complex. Sometimes Capo detects what the band is actually playing rather than what you'd play on guitar. Sometimes it simply gets it wrong. Either way, Capo provides comprehensive tools for editing chords to match how you want to play the song.

How Capo Detects Chords (and Why It's Sometimes "Too Accurate")

Capo analyzes the audio by listening to all the instruments playing together. When multiple band members contribute different notes, those notes combine to form chords–and sometimes those chords are more complex than what any single instrument is playing.

Example: A guitarist plays a C major chord while a saxophone holds a B note. The combined sound is CMaj7–and that's what Capo will detect. If you're learning the guitar part, you might just want to see "C" because that's what the guitarist is actually playing.

This isn't an error–Capo is accurately reporting what it hears. But it means you'll often need to simplify or adjust the detected chords to match your instrument and playing style.

Fixing Wrong Chords

When you spot a chord that doesn't match what you're hearing, fixing it is straightforward.

To change a chord:

  1. Double-click the chord to open the Chord Chooser
  2. At the top, you'll see a list of alternate chords sorted by likelihood–often the correct chord is right there
  3. Click the chord you want to use instead

If the chord you want isn't in the list of alternates, click the search button and type the chord name. Capo understands free-form descriptions like "bbadd9" or "f#7(#5)", so you can enter even exotic chords that weren't detected automatically.

Once you select a chord, Capo plays it so you can verify it matches what you're hearing.

Choosing Different Voicings and Positions

Even when Capo detects the correct chord name, you might want to play it in a different position on the neck or use a different voicing.

To change the chord voicing:

  1. Double-click the chord to open the Chord Chooser
  2. Scroll through the list of available chord shapes
  3. Click each shape to hear how it sounds
  4. Select the voicing you prefer

The chord boxes show exactly which frets to play, and if you have a capo position set (see Setting Your Capo Position), the shapes will be adjusted accordingly.

For bass, ukulele, mandolin, and banjo:

The instrument you selected in Notation Settings determines which voicings Capo shows. A D chord on bass looks different from a D chord on ukulele, and Capo provides appropriate fingerings for each.

Adding Missed Chord Changes

Sometimes Capo misses a chord change entirely, leaving a gap where you know something different is being played.

To add a chord:

  1. Position the playhead where you want to insert the chord
  2. Click Add Chord in the chord controls in the toolbar (or press K on your keyboard)
  3. Capo runs a quick detection at the playhead location and adds the result

If you're zoomed out far enough that chords appear collapsed, you might need to zoom in to see the newly added chord.

Once placed, you can immediately edit it using the Chord Chooser if the automatic detection didn't get it right.

Replacing Chords Throughout a Song

When Capo consistently detects the wrong chord throughout a song–maybe "C minor" everywhere it should be "C major"–you can fix all instances at once.

To replace matching chords:

  1. Double-click any instance of the chord you want to replace
  2. Select the correct chord in the Chord Chooser
  3. Toggle on Replace all… at the bottom of the Chord Chooser
  4. Your selection replaces every matching chord in the song

This works for both chord names and voicings. If you find a better fingering for a chord that appears twenty times in the song, you can update all twenty at once.

Deleting a Chord

Select it and click Delete Chord in the chord controls in the toolbar, or simply press the delete key.

Use the arrow buttons in the chord controls in the toolbar to jump between chord changes in your song. This is particularly useful when you want to practice transitions between specific chords–navigate to a chord change, practice the transition, move to the next.

Keyboard shortcuts: ⌥← and ⌥→

Hearing Hidden Parts

Modern mixes can bury the part you're trying to learn under layers of other instruments. Capo's Isolation feature–powered by the Neptune isolation engine–lets you manipulate the stereo mix to emphasize or eliminate specific instruments and vocals.

What Isolation Does (and What It Can't Do)

Isolation works by analyzing how a stereo mix spreads different sound sources across the left and right channels, and across different frequency ranges. By adjusting these parameters, you can:

Important limitations:

Isolation only works with stereo recordings. If your song is mono (rare these days), the Pan Energy display will show a thin straight line and nothing else–Isolation won't have any effect.

Isolation can't separate instruments that were mixed to the same position with the same frequencies. If vocals and acoustic guitar are both centered in the mix at similar frequencies, you can't isolate one without the other.

That said, even in challenging mixes, you can often use the Frequency Range controls to reduce bass and percussion, making the midrange instruments easier to hear.

Soloing the Guitar or Vocal

To access Isolation settings, click the Neptune button in the playback controls in the toolbar.

Start with Solo mode:

Solo mode emphasizes whatever falls within your selected Pan position, Width, and Frequency Range. Everything else gets reduced.

Finding a guitar panned left:
  1. Set the effect to Solo
  2. While playing the song, watch the Pan Energy display–you'll see energy distributed across the stereo field
  3. Drag the Pan slider toward the left as you hear the guitar become more prominent
  4. Adjust the Width slider (usually narrower is better for instruments panned to one side)
  5. Fine-tune the frequency range to eliminate low-end rumble and high-end splashy cymbals
Recipe for soloing a guitar:

Listen and adjust. Every mix is different, so these are starting points.

Muting the Vocals to Play Along

Vocals are typically mixed dead center, making them prime candidates for isolation in Mute mode.

Recipe for vocal reduction:
  1. Set the effect to Solo mode first (easier to find the vocals)
  2. Pan: Center (middle of the slider)
  3. Width: As narrow as possible (vocals are usually tightly centered)
  4. Frequency Range: 300Hz low end, 8000Hz high end
  5. Switch to Mute mode to eliminate the vocals

Toggle the Effect switch between Off and Mute to compare–sometimes your ears start hunting for the eliminated sounds, and you don't realize how well it's working until you compare.

Verification trick:

After setting up vocal reduction in Solo mode, switch to Mute mode. If the vocals disappear completely, you nailed the settings.

Working with the Pan, Width, and Frequency Range Controls

Understanding how these three parameters interact is key to effective Isolation.

Pan slider:

Controls where in the stereo field you're focusing. Centered targets instruments mixed to the middle (vocals, bass, kick drum). Left or right targets instruments panned to those sides.

Watch the Pan Energy display while playing–it shows you where the energy is in real time, helping you find your target instrument.

Width slider:

Controls how narrow or wide your selection is. A narrow width (slider to the left) pinpoints tightly-panned sources. A wider width (slider to the right) captures instruments with stereo effects spread across the field.

Vocals are usually narrow. Guitars with stereo chorus or delay might need more width.

Frequency Range:

Two handles let you define the low and high frequency boundaries. This is often the most powerful parameter.

Dragging these handles while listening helps you dial in exactly the instrument you're after.

Using all three together:
  1. Start by finding the Pan position using your ears and the Pan Energy display
  2. Narrow the Width as much as possible while keeping your target instrument clear
  3. Adjust Frequency Range to eliminate unwanted sounds
  4. Toggle between Solo/Mute modes and Off to verify your settings are working

Tips for Different Genres and Recording Styles

Older recordings (pre-1980s):

These often have clearer separation. Instruments were frequently hard-panned left or right, making them easier to isolate. A guitar might live entirely in the left channel with drums in the right–perfect for isolation.

Modern productions:

Contemporary mixes often have energy smashed into the center, making isolation more challenging. You might need to mute the center entirely (vocals, bass, kick) to hear the side-panned instruments clearly.

Live recordings:

These typically preserve the spatial positioning of players on stage, spreading energy across the stereo field more naturally. Isolation often works well with live recordings.

Genre-specific tips:
When Isolation seems impossible:

Sometimes the best you can do is eliminate the center (vocals, bass, drums) and listen to everything else. This still helps tremendously when learning parts from instruments panned to the sides.

Equipment matters:

Use headphones or full-range speakers when working with Isolation. Phone or laptop speakers won't give you accurate feedback. A quiet room helps too–Isolation can sound echoey or hollow on its own, so you want to be sure that's the song and not your environment.

Practice the technique:

Find some older recordings where instruments are clearly separated (think classic rock, early stereo jazz) and experiment with the Isolation controls. Once you get a feel for how Pan, Width, and Frequency Range interact, you'll be able to dial in modern mixes more quickly.

When you're deep in the process of learning a song, constantly reaching for the mouse to find specific sections breaks your flow. Capo provides multiple ways to move through your song quickly, most of them accessible from the keyboard.

Jumping to Sections with Markers

Markers let you flag important moments in a song–the start of a solo, a tricky chord change, a note you want to return to. They're lighter-weight than Regions and perfect for quick navigation.

To add a Marker:

Click Add Marker in the marker controls in the toolbar, or just press M on your keyboard. The Marker appears at the playhead location.

To navigate between Markers:

Use the arrow buttons in the marker controls in the toolbar, or press ⌥← and ⌥→ on your keyboard.

When you're transcribing or learning specific notes, place Markers at each important spot, then navigate through them sequentially. Combined with the Transcription Playhead, this creates a practice path through difficult passages.

To delete a Marker:

Select it and press delete on your keyboard.

Moving Between Chord Changes

The same arrow navigation works in the chord controls in the toolbar–click the arrows or use ⌥← and ⌥→ to jump between chord changes.

This is valuable when practicing chord transitions. Jump to a change, practice the transition, move to the next. You don't have to hunt for where chords change–Capo knows.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Faster Workflow

Essential navigation shortcuts:

Speed control:

Editing shortcuts:

Song View switching:

Zooming:

Learning just the navigation and speed shortcuts dramatically improves workflow. The whole point is to keep your hands on your instrument as much as possible.

Zooming In for Precision, Out for Overview

The zoom level determines how much of the song you see at once and how precisely you can position the playhead, regions, and markers.

Zoomed out: You see the big picture–the entire song or large sections. This is useful for understanding overall structure and creating large Regions. But chords and tablature often collapse when zoomed out, showing "…" to indicate hidden information.

Zoomed in: You see fine detail–individual beats, closely-spaced chord changes, precise note placements. This is essential when you need to place a Marker exactly on a note, or resize a Region to start precisely on a specific beat.

To zoom:

Collapsed chords:

When zoomed out, Capo displays the last chord in a group with "…Am" indicating there are earlier chords hidden. Zoom in to reveal them.

Collapsed tablature:

Similarly, tablature shows "3…" to indicate more notes follow on that string. Zoom in to see the full notation.

Finding the right zoom level for your current task makes everything else easier. Working on note entry? Zoom in. Placing Regions around song sections? Zoom out.

What You've Learned

You now have the core skills for learning any song by ear using Capo:

These techniques work together. Loop a section, slow it down, fix the chords, isolate the guitar, and practice the transition. Everything you've learned in this chapter supports that workflow.

The next chapter covers mapping out song structure–organizing bars into Sections so you can see the big picture of how a song is built.

Last updated: October 08, 2025