MP3 to MIDI (Windows only)

This is a demo for converting an MP3 to MIDI. BUT a big disclaimer...this worked for me with 1 instrument. I recorded live piano music into a digi-recorder. Then processed the MP3. This process is a handy way to transcribe music (see limitations).

This Instructable requires that you install two freeware applications. This is a Windows-centric project (sorry to non-Win people). It may be possible to do this Instructable on another O/S. There are some optional applications for printing the MIDI file as sheet music or for editing the MIDI file.

One thing I don't get into is how rip one instrument/voice from an MP3 with more than one. If you know how to do this please post an Instructable. I would love to be able to isolate an instrument or voice from an MP3.

LIMITATIONS
As mentioned above the MP3 can only have one instrument/voice.
The sheet music is often a more complicated version than you expect. You may be able to quantize the MIDI file to make it more readable.
The sheet music only displays a treble or bass clef not both.
(Please report limitations that you discover.)

Step 1 Install software (mostly freeware).

Download and install the following Windows software:

Audacity (v 1.3)
Audacity is a really great open-source software. It is handy if you want to record via your laptop/desktop to MP3. It has a lot of effects.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
OR get a Portable version at...
http://portableapps.com/apps/music_video/audacity_portable

Amazing MIDI (v 1.7 )
This is also very cool software. It takes a single instrument input as WAV file and transcribes/converts the music to MIDI file. This software has not been updated since August 20, 2003.
http://www.pluto.dti.ne.jp/~araki/amazingmidi/

(Optional)

MIDI Notation (v 2.1.2)
This software takes a MIDI file displays it as sheet music which can be printed.
http://www.notation.com/DownloadNotationPlayer.htm

Anvil Studio (v 2007.12.01)
This software takes a MIDI file and allows the user to edit the music. The basic software is free but you can add on some components for a modest price.
http://www.freewarefiles.com/program_6_70_7660.html

I included the version number for the software that I used. In other words, I got this Instructable to work using these versions. But it is usally better to work with the latest stable version.

Comments

[mvukoai]

ziktz

[pianodude]

For step 3, you could also use Intelliscore instead of AmazingMIDI.  Intelliscore is nice because it has many different instruments to choose from, not just piano and sine wave.  It also creates MIDI files on several staves.

[carrierpilot1357]

how about you show how too convert midi too mp3?(or record)

[jgeekw]

not going into details about it, but if you can acquire Sound Forge, just record the Stereo Mix and play your midi file. That way any audio coming through your sound card is being recorded. Sound Forge isn't free, but I'm sure most freeware audio editing/recording programs can perform this same function.

[frollard]

This technique works for any sound file winamp's input plugins can handle (pretty much anything) Winamp has an output plugin (hit ctrl+k). Default is DirectSound, which goes to your speakers. 1. Change it to 'disk writer' or some similar name (I forget). 2. Under config for that plugin, set the options for your mp3 (bitrate, naming, etc). 3. Go back to winamp main page, turn off looping and shuffle. Then just play your midi. It will play silently, at about 20x speed. Once its done, wherever you told the plugin to save the file it will be saved! Remember to set it back to the default 'directsound' output, or every file you play will be trans-coded somewhere in your save directory!

[plashtic]

Audacity is crossplatform, so this tutorial may be valid for MacOS and Linux.

[thejazzer]

you could try using an eq to isolate the voice you wanted

[MerleCorey]

That's hard. I haven found a way to eq out all remnants of the other voices or instruments, (drums) that i want to eliminate from the midi transcription, what are some basic guidelines for accomplishing this?

[GorillazMiko]

Smart, smart. I use Audacity all the time, but I never knew this. Thanks for showing!