I’ve worked hard to have my music theory teacher’s Dutch speaking show up in written English.  I have not been successful.

I downloaded at least fifteen apps that translate from one language to another.  Each one’s microphone shuts off when the speaker pauses.  If I press the microphone again, the previous English disappears.  If I focus on the English translation first, then I miss the next things he’s saying.

I bought a lapel microphone so an app like Google Translate can hear what words are being spoken in Dutch.

I discovered the Live Transcribe app for Samsung phones.  It doesn’t translate but apparently it gives an accurate written record of the Dutch that is being said.  I used it in today’s class.  Then I copied and pasted it paragraph by paragraph into Google Translate, taking screenshots of the results. This took the whole two hours of the class.  I learned no music theory in real time.

Tonight I looked at the photos. A few were hopeful:

I sort of get it.

However, consider how well your brain handles this translation:

Huh?

And just one more: (I won’t torture you with endless examples)

(Sigh)

I’m not totally out of ideas. I just Googled “most accurate translation app”. What came up was one I hadn’t seen before: DeepL Translate. I’ve downloaded it, ready for the musical mysteries of next Wednesday.

Whoever said life is easy?

Not me

(Although sometimes it really is!)