MP3 to midi

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puzzlermc2
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MP3 to midi

Post by puzzlermc2 » Sat Jun 23, 2018 5:54 pm

I am not any kind of music or computer expert and my problem may have a simple solution. I have just downloaded Version 2.2.2 in order to convert MP3 files to midi for use in church services, and I can't complete the process. I have followed the instructions I could find - I opened the MP3 file (but playing it caused the "Export" menu to grey out) and clicked "Save as other uncompressed" and then header "SDS" but had no idea what encoding to choose so I left the default and "Save". I got the "Edit Metadata" window and faced a screen of basic data which I don't need to change, and then pressed "OK". This led to an error message "Cannot export audio in this format". What have I done wrong?
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kozikowski
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Re: MP3 to midi

Post by kozikowski » Sat Jun 23, 2018 6:09 pm

What have I done wrong?
Use Audacity.

Audacity doesn't speak MIDI. I think it can open and close a MIDI file, but it can't do anything to it and it can't convert.

Converting MIDI to music is a snap. Machines could do that for years. Converting to MIDI is difficult.

Step one, which instrument is playing? MIDI instruments 1-6 are pianos. Is it a piano? The MIDI file has to know. You generally can't convert a mixed song because of this.
to midi for use in church services
Does the organ use MIDI? I'm picturing a massive pipe organ running from a laptop.

Koz
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DVDdoug
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Re: MP3 to midi

Post by DVDdoug » Sat Jun 23, 2018 6:15 pm

That's a tricky thing to do. There are specialized applications for that. Google "audio to MIDI" or "WAV to MIDI".

Success will depend on the complexity of your recording. You'll have a better chance of success with a solo recording and one note at a time. Chords make it more complicated and multiple instruments make it even more complicated.

You'll probably have better luck creating the MIDI "from scratch" (with an MID application, not with Audacity) and if you're a musician a MIDI keyboard would help too.
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kozikowski
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Re: MP3 to midi

Post by kozikowski » Sat Jun 23, 2018 7:23 pm

Right then.

That's what happens when you ask an overly general question and we go off in all directions trying to answer it.

What exactly are you trying to do?

Koz
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puzzlermc2
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Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2018 5:38 pm
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Re: MP3 to midi

Post by puzzlermc2 » Sat Jun 23, 2018 7:31 pm

kozikowski wrote:
What have I done wrong?
Use Audacity.

Audacity doesn't speak MIDI. I think it can open and close a MIDI file, but it can't do anything to it and it can't convert.

Converting MIDI to music is a snap. Machines could do that for years. Converting to MIDI is difficult.

Step one, which instrument is playing? MIDI instruments 1-6 are pianos. Is it a piano? The MIDI file has to know. You generally can't convert a mixed song because of this.
to midi for use in church services
Does the organ use MIDI? I'm picturing a massive pipe organ running from a laptop.

Koz
I can download an MP3 version and want to create a midi version that the keyboard can play. Google Search led me to Audacity with the promise that it could do the job but your reply suggests that it can't. The Yamaha keyboard can play from midi input - the only form it accepts - and I have no musical ability to play direct from the keys.
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puzzlermc2
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Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2018 5:38 pm
Operating System: Windows 10

Re: MP3 to midi

Post by puzzlermc2 » Sat Jun 23, 2018 7:34 pm

DVDdoug wrote:That's a tricky thing to do. There are specialized applications for that. Google "audio to MIDI" or "WAV to MIDI".

Success will depend on the complexity of your recording. You'll have a better chance of success with a solo recording and one note at a time. Chords make it more complicated and multiple instruments make it even more complicated.

You'll probably have better luck creating the MIDI "from scratch" (with an MID application, not with Audacity) and if you're a musician a MIDI keyboard would help too.
I can only find an MP3 download and have no musical ability.
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kozikowski
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Re: MP3 to midi

Post by kozikowski » Sat Jun 23, 2018 7:48 pm

I can only find an MP3 download and have no musical ability.
Then that's the end of the job.
The Yamaha keyboard can play from midi input
Or more accurately, the Yamaha keyboards speak MIDI, both directions.

Who plays the keyboard now? You can get the current musician to play the works and use a MIDI application to save it in MIDI format. I was doing that fifteen years ago on a Win98 computer and my first Yamaha. That was CakeWalk software.

And that brings up back to: Describe the job. What's magic about MIDI that you can't just play the MP3?

Koz
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