# Software Options To Convert Polyphonic Audio Into MIDI



## DaddyO (Nov 29, 2018)

Edited to add: Now that I think more about it, I don't really need to extract MIDI, just detect the notes.

* * *

As part of a larger work some years ago I wrote a fairly complex 5-part string interlude, but now I only have the audio of that project. I am finding it very hard to discern the precise notes (and voices) that I used to create the texture just the way I wanted it. The more I listen to it, over and over and over, the more impossible it seems. Normally I can figure these things out, but not this time. This 63-year old brain doesn't work as well as it used to!

What software options do I have that will correctly convert this polyphonic strings audio at least into notes? I can figure out the voices once I have that.

The Melodyne edition that is supposed to handle this is very expensive for a hobbyist, although if I can get it on sale I might pop for it.

I use Cubase Pro 9.5, but I don't think Vari-Audio has polyphonic detection capability.


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## elpedro (Nov 29, 2018)

DaddyO said:


> Edited to add: Now that I think more about it, I don't really need to extract MIDI, just detect the notes.
> 
> * * *
> 
> ...


Melodyne is the only one I know of that will do that, they do have a sale on at the moment.


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## DaddyO (Nov 29, 2018)

elpedro said:


> Melodyne is the only one I know of that will do that, they do have a sale on at the moment.



Hmm. Thanks, I'll have to check out the sale.

Edited to add:

Where are you seeing that sale? I'm seeing Melodyne 4 Studio, the only version that does polyphonic, for $699. I assume that's the regular price.


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## gregh (Nov 29, 2018)

DaddyO said:


> Hmm. Thanks, I'll have to check out the sale.
> 
> Edited to add:
> 
> Where are you seeing that sale?


https://www.pluginboutique.com/manufacturers/109-Celemony


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## DaddyO (Nov 29, 2018)

gregh said:


> https://www.pluginboutique.com/manufacturers/109-Celemony



Thanks. When I look at Melodyne Studio 4 it says $699 with no indicated discount like some of the other versions.


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## DaddyO (Nov 29, 2018)

I did just now download the trial version to see if it would do what I needed.


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## dzilizzi (Nov 29, 2018)

You didn't get Melodyne Essential free with something?


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## DaddyO (Nov 29, 2018)

dzilizzi said:


> You didn't get Melodyne Essential free with something?



Not that I know of. Possibly with some earlier version of Cubase that I no longer have installed.


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## gregh (Nov 29, 2018)

DaddyO said:


> Thanks. When I look at Melodyne Studio 4 it says $699 with no indicated discount like some of the other versions.


Editor will do what you want - polyphonic transcription. Studio does that but with multitracking and a bunch of signal processing functions as well. Looks like you have missed any deal on Editor though. Melodyne Essentials goes for 40 - 50$ at KVR so you could go the upgrade route. Might even do better with a secondhand Editor directly


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## DaddyO (Nov 29, 2018)

Thanks for the tip.


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## kitekrazy (Nov 29, 2018)

Live has their own. Audio to midi is far from perfect. I've used Live's and Melodyne and get different results. 

I know the frustration. I had and old Gigastudio project done in Sonar. I still have the audio files but to this day I still can't find the midis.


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## DaddyO (Dec 1, 2018)

I decided to save the money and do the best I could to approximate what I had written. The original was PERFECT, but for me it's just not worth hundreds of dollars for a chance to get it back. Thanks so much for everybody's input. If I was a professional, I would have plunked it down for Melodyne Editor.


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## dzilizzi (Dec 1, 2018)

Truthfully, if it is a completed piece, it is unlikely anything will give you a perfect midi rendition. Melodyne is probably the best, but it still struggles with complex polyphonic sounds. 

There's a product that is supposed to be able to separate out stems from a finished song, mostly for removing vocals and drums IIRC. Something like that might help break down the piece to make it easier to figure out the notes? Just a thought.


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## gregh (Jan 7, 2019)

ka00 said:


> This video makes it look like Melodyne can detect polyphonic audio and convert it to midi no problem. At least for piano. Can anyone confirm if they do this on a regular basis? Really would like to be able to transform a bunch of piano improvisations into midi as I prefer to improvise away from my DAW.



works fine for me - they do a demo so you can test it


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## gregh (Jan 7, 2019)

ka00 said:


> Thanks, @gregh! I will demo it. I missed the sale but JRR seems to have it at a discount.


bit cheaper again at audiodeluxe I think


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## studiostuff (Jan 7, 2019)

ka00 said:


> This video makes it look like Melodyne can detect polyphonic audio and convert it to midi no problem.



I just want to weigh in on this topic because I'm a dedicated Melodyne user and fan, and have been using it for many years (10 years or more). The work Melodyne does well, it does far better IMHO than anything else.

However, I think this DNA aspect of Melodyne is somewhat over-promoted (again, my opinion), and less than reliably useful. As mentioned above, I also find that the more complex a recorded performance may be, the less reliable this aspect of Melodyne can be.

If you have a dry, close-recording of a piano, Melodyne DNA reporting may be excellent. But it's the only aspect of Melodyne that I consider unusable... 

I still rely exclusively on Melodyne for many things, and don't fell a need for DNA to work well for me as it's usually pretty easy for me to just write down what I'm hearing.


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