Is it possible to convert an audio file to a midi file?

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Level 1

1 points

Is it possible to convert an audio file to a midi file?

Greetings, folks!

Thought I'd peruse the various posts on here to see if anyone could tell me if it's possible to convert an audio file to a midi file.

I'm an arranger, and I normally pick the notes out by ear. While my ear has greatly benefited from doing this for so long, it can get tedious at times.
Well, I recently discovered that Finale (the notation software I use to create sheet music) can open up midi files..after all of these years...ha ha. Well, I downloaded a midi file and opened it up, and voila! There it is. Though the score isn't formatted very well, the notes are at least there for me to work with.

Upon Googling this topic, I found something on YouTube that explains how to "convert audio to midi" in Logic 8. ( http://youtu.be/IpTukSi-oN4)
I'm either doing something wrong, or this function isn't very good Logic. If you know how to use this feature, I'd appreciate some help.

Thanks.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.6), 4 GB RAM

Posted on Apr 13, 2011 5:28 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 3, 2013 7:49 PM in response to Pendeflex

I also viewed the YouTube video. It is not applicable to Logic Pro X. I asked a similar question and received a good answer. See recent post by me, kelvinband. A MIDI track corresponding to an audio file is accomplished via flex pitch

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Answer 2

Burgundia

Level 2

160 points

Apr 14, 2011 2:49 PM in response to Pendeflex

First of all, Garageband doesn't do this. If you google "audio to midi" you will find a bunch of other programs that will. the Logic video you posted describes correctly how to use the "audio to score" feature. The destructive aspect of this feature is not a problem. Just remember to make a copy of the original audio file, and use this feature on the copy. Then the original audio will be preserved.

Second, this will only work if the audio file isn't too complicated. If it's just you playing individual notes on a piano (monophonic music), then the audio should convert to midi just fine. If however you are playing multiple notes simultaneously (polyphonic music)like chords, or two hands instead of one, or multiple instruments playing together, then the results won't be good.

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Answer 3

hakea

Level 1

8 points

Apr 15, 2011 4:48 PM in response to Pendeflex

Hi,

As you've discovered, Finale and many other programs can convert midi to notation, because it's a relatively simple task. Each individual midi instruction has a clear outcome. Garageband can do it, as can Guitar Pro, etc.

As the other posts mentioned it rarely works well, if at all, going the other way because the information is usually too complex for easy reverse engineering. Many audio files have multiple instruments bounced down onto a single track, some of which may be virtually identical (multiple guitars for instance) so working out exactly who played which notes on what can be more or less impossible. Currently, the various attempts only seem to manage fairly straightforward melodies. But, like all software, it's creeping forwards, so who knows where it will end up?

Chris

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Answer 4

Pendeflex Author

Level 1

1 points

Apr 15, 2011 6:15 PM in response to Pendeflex

Gentlemen,
thanks for the input. I guess this type of conversion is not possible yet, and unfortunately, 99% of the music I arrange is scored with 8 to 15 instruments. So, I am out of luck.

Thanks, again, for the help.

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Answer 5

Apr 17, 2011 2:04 AM in response to Pendeflex

Maybe a software called Transcribe! could be of value for you - it analyzes the audio and tells you what notes are sounding at a given time. A good tool to find some "hidden" chord tones that you have trouble picking out by ear.

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Answer 6

Sep 3, 2013 8:00 PM in response to Pendeflex

I think that the flex pitch approach should work if you limit each audio track to a single monophonic instrument. I would think that this would likely be the approach in generating new arrangements or compositions. Generation of midi tracks woulld be one instument at a time. But then, I am sure that there is more than one way to accomplish results.

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Answer 7

Apr 14, 2011 1:36 AM in response to Pendeflex

You probably have better chances to get help in the Logic forum. And don't expect perfect results - converting audio to midi is a non-trivial challenge.

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