The Goo Goo Dolls - Iris

Level: Medium

Thanks to Douglas Adams for suggesting this one. Douglas is working toward 80wpm at the moment. If you can do a solid transcription of this, the 80 should be no problem. It's worth practising a few times to really nail the useful vocab and word groupings it contains.

Now that I've passed 100wpm I feel I can write with some authority on how to learn shorthand. Check out my tips for passing your exams here. They're ideas I found most useful and things I wish I'd known earlier.

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Oasis - Cigarettes & Alcohol

Level: Medium

All the songs on Definitely, Maybe the debut album by Oasis are good for Teeline practice. This is fairly slow and short but with enough tricky outlines to make it a challenge.

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Kris Kristofferson - Sunday Morning Coming Down

Level: hard

Kris Krisofferson's often covered classic covers a range of vocabulary with some complex outlines making it a great challenge but slow and clear enough to be achievable.
'Breakfast' is a cumbersome word to write out in full. I've shortened it to 'b'fast' but there are other ways of shortening and simplifying it which may work better. Also don't bother writing the title out in full. Stick to the first letters.

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Nick Cave - Into My Arms

Level: Medium

Here's a great one for all levels. Some lines are slow and simple others zip past with some tricky outlines but if you get the first letter at least you should be able to read it back.

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Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Level: Easy

Sinéad O'Connor's classic is a nice easy one to transcribe with plenty of common words and some handy word groupings.

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The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset

Level: Medium

A smashing tune from The Kinks and a good Teeline dictation. You don't want to be writing Waterloo Sunset out each time so I've shorted it to WS. I put the S over the W to make a distinctive outline; it even looks a bit like a sunset. You may find something else works better for you. It also includes slightly fiddly but handy word grouping 'as long as.'

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Rod Stewart - Maggie May

Level: Hard

This classic by Rod Stewart takes a fair bit of stamina but there are a few instrumental breaks to get your breath back including a mandolin solo famously mimed by Radio 1 DJ John Peel on Top of The Pops. Thanks to Emma Marie Webb for the suggestion.

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