NickD

When I was on the road, I used to listen to solos on my Sony Walkman and write the solos out by ear. Sometimes it would take forever, but it helped while away the hours on the bus. Also, the fact that, on trickier passages, I might have to listen to a phrase hundreds of times, singing it quietly to myself and fingering "air trumpet" until I was sure I had the notes right before I wrote them out, helped me a lot. Then when we'd get to a gig site, I'd read through what I had to double check it on my horn. At that point I was putting a solo into my fingers that I already had in my ears, including nuances of tone and note bending.

If I transcribe a solo these days, I do it the same way.

FWIIW coming from me.

Peace.

Nick