MP3 to Midi software

[dazzac1965]

Hi All,

 

My daughter has purchased a Keyboard that plugs into her laptop, but the Keyboard only uses MIDI files. I've Googled "MP3 to Midi converter" but drawing blanks. I have found lots of Midi to MP3 converters but not the other way around.

 

Does anyone know or recommend a programme to use?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Dazzac1965

[LinkindinkinPark]

you aint converting like for like

 

How do I convert MP3 to MIDI? | Wave to MIDI Converter

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Dazzac, well first off, it isn't yet possible to convert a music file into MIDI, at least not correctly.

Many programmers and program constructors have tried, and some very crude programs do exist, but they will at the very best only work with converting one instrument being played on its own, and not very well at that.

To understand why you need to understand exactly what MIDI is and the major differences between Midi and a music file.

MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It is actually a set of instructions and not a true music file.

What that means is that for example, a piano or portable keyboard creates musical sounds from a bank of digital sounds, known as a sound font, these have been taken and sampled from a real instrument or an electronic synthesiser and then compiled into a kind of library, the keys selected and also the instrument sound selected then produce each note as the key is pressed down, which then sound through the keyboards speakers.

However, the MIDI output from the keyboard, is all the instructions needed for another bank of sounds to recreate them and play them elsewhere. In this case the computer, as most sound cards and indeed on board sound systems all have a full if basic sound sound font installed.

In order for a program to create a MIDI file from a MP3 file for example, the program first must be able to recognise each individual instrument being played in that sound file. It must then measure exactly how long each note from each instrument has been played for, also how loudly, when sounds are mixed together as they are in real life, you hopefully can see how difficult a task it can be and why it as yet hasn't been done.

 

If you want to know more about the uses of MIDI, the programs that are available for handling it, and able to give a full and real page of musical notation, in other words showing the crotchets, quavers, minims, etc all on the musical stave in front of you while a MIDI file is being played, let me know.

Nev.

[Plastic Nev]

Linkin, got in before me, but if you read through the description on that site you will see that even this program isn't going to do very much for you. As I say, there are some crude attempts around, but there is as yet no real way to convert ordinary music into a true MIDI file that can reproduce the music exactly as you heard it.

I would also like to add, there are many websites offering music in MIDI format, you can download them, then using notational software, take the entire file to bits, alter it, or just play it as it stands. There is also a lot of notational software both paid for or free, available that you can write your own music in as well as play it.

Nev.