Convert Audio into MIDI: 6 Tools For Musicians

Imagine this: you've recorded a fantastic guitar melody, or want to convert a song into editable MIDI data, but you're stuck because unfamiliar with manual MIDI input.

That's where audio to MIDI converters come in handy. You can use them to convert raw audio files like MP3 and WAV to MIDI and edit the notes.

In this article, I've reviewed 6 truly useful audio to MIDI tools, there's bound to be one that suits your needs.

Part 1. Quick Comparison: 6 Audio to MIDI Converters at a Glance

Use this comparison table to quickly understand each audio to MIDI tool.

Part 2. Detailed 6 Audio to MIDI Converter Reviews

1 Tunesona (AI Music Agent with MIDI Export)

Tunesona is quite different from other tools. It's not just an audio to MIDI converter, but also an AI music agent. You can obtain MIDI files in two ways: upload existing audio and convert it to MIDI, or generate new music using AI and export it directly as MIDI.

The latter is where Tunesona truly shines. I can describe the desired music style or have it recommend some, wait for it to generate a complete musical composition, and then export it as a MIDI file containing all elements such as melody, chords, and rhythm.

I used this feature to generate about 20 MIDI files in different styles, and then played them in Logic Pro using different virtual instruments, all with good results. Its biggest advantage is speed, making a MIDI arrangement traditionally might take several hours, but Tunesona completes it in minutes.

Its interface is very simple, you can interact with it using natural language, requiring no technical skills. It also offers free creation credits, while the paid plan offers more comprehensive features.

How to Convert Audio to MIDI with Tunesona?

Method 1: Upload audio file for conversion.

Step 1 Visit the Tunesona and log in to claim free creation credits.

Step 2 Upload the audio file you want to convert and select Reference.

Step 3 Wait for Tunesona to analyze and convert the audio file. It will provide a very detailed description of the audio to help you create better.

Step 4 Locate the audio you uploaded in the right panel and export it as afile.

Method 2: Generate music using AI and export MIDI.

Step 1 Choose your preferred creation mode. Enter a simple idea or a detailed description, or use the custom mode for precise control. A prompt is also provided above.

Step 2 Wait for Tunesona to generate the complete music.

Step 3 Listen to the generated music to confirm if it meets your needs. If adjustments are required, you can further describe the direction of the changes.

Step 4 Once satisfied, export the music as a MIDI file.

Step 5 Import the downloaded MIDI file into your DAW and play it with any virtual instrument or edit it further.

Tunesona offers a free version and several subscription plans:

Free: 30 credits, core music generation.

Basic: $6.99/first month, 1000 credits.

Pro: $9.99/first month, 2000 credits.

Premier: $69.99/lifetime, Unlimited & 2000 credits/month.

2 Melodyne 5 (Pro Audio to MIDI Converter Software)

Download: https://www.celemony.com/en/melodyne/what-can-melodyne-do

Melodyne 5 is the most accurate pitch recognition audio to MIDI converter software I've ever used. It doesn't just simply convert audio, it deeply analyzes details such as pitch, duration, and velocity, and then generates high-quality MIDI data.

I've tested Melodyne with a variety of audio materials, and its handling of both monophonic and polyphonic audio is excellent. Its advantages extend beyond conversion, it also lies in its powerful editing capabilities.

You can directly adjust pitch, correct rhythm, change velocity within Melodyne, and then export it as MIDI. The entire workflow is highly efficient.

The only downside is its high price. Melodyne has several versions:

Essential: $99 (basic features, pitch/time editing)

Assistant: $249 (adds vocal editing)

Editor: $399 (Adds DNA for polyphonic editing)

Studio: $849 (full, multi-track studio capabilities)

For professional music producers, the Editor or Studio versions are worth the investment. But if you only need to switch occasionally, you might want to check out Basic Pitch and Tunesona.

3 Basic Pitch (Free Audio to MIDI Converter)

Site: https://basicpitch.spotify.com/

Basic Pitch is an open-source audio to MIDI converter developed by Spotify and is completely free. It was the most surprising tool I tested, performing exceptionally well despite being free.

It has high accuracy in converting monophonic melodies, but its ability to process polyphonic audio is weaker, although it can still provide a general outline.

Moreover, using it to convert audio to MIDI is extremely simple: open the website, upload the audio file (or record directly), wait for the conversion, and download the MIDI file.

My favorite feature is its pitch bend detection, which delivers a more nuanced and expressive MIDI tone.

As an open-source project, Basic Pitch also provides a command-line tool. If you know programming, you can obtain the code from GitHub and integrate it into your workflow.

Because it's a free online service, the conversion speed depends on the server load. However, these limitations are perfectly acceptable for most users.

4 Samplab (Audio to MIDI Plugin)

Site / Download: https://samplab.com/audio-to-midi

Samplab is a AI-driven plugin that converts audio to MIDI format in DAWs. While its key and BPM detection capabilities are somewhat lacking, its ability to turn audio to MIDI is excellent.

Furthermore, you can use the MIDI piano roll to edit and modify individual notes within audio samples. Alternatively, drag and drop MIDI files onto MIDI tracks and apply your own sound libraries.

Samplab can convert and separate polyphonic audio into MIDI tracks, each corresponding to a different instrument in the mix.

However, note that the free plan can only process 10s audio clips at a time, while the premium version supports unlimited stereo transcription.

Samplab offers free and subscription version:

Free: Processes up to 10s of audio, outputting mono audio.

Premium: $11.99/mo, any length audio file, stereo audio & premium note controls.

Complete: $14.99/mo, Premium plan plus the Resynthesizer plugin.

5 ACE Studio (Vocal to MIDI Converter)

Site / Download: https://acestudio.ai/

ACE Studio is a software focused on converting vocals to MIDI. You can sing directly within the application, recording melodies as MIDI scores, and then continue editing the notes in the piano roll window.

This tool is ideal if you frequently need to process vocal recordings or want to convert singing melodies into instrumental pieces.

One particularly useful feature is that ACE Studio can recognize details like vibrato and pitch bend in vocals and preserve these as much as possible in MIDI. Even if you move notes up and down, your vocal timbre will be retained.

I often use ACE Studio to convert humming melodies from demos into MIDI, then play them with strings or piano to quickly create arrangement prototypes.

You can purchase directly or subscribe to ACE Studio:

Artist: $20.73/mo, one-time purchase $497.50.

Artist Pro: $27.5/mo, one-time purchase $660.

6 Ableton Live (Built-in Audio to MIDI Conversion)

Download: https://www.ableton.com/en/

If you're already using Ableton Live, consider trying its built-in audio to MIDI conversion. While not as precise as professional tools, it's perfectly adequate for a fast workflow.

Its "Convert Harmony/Melody/Drums to MIDI" function analyzes audio and generates MIDI:

Harmony to MIDI: Recognizes polyphonic audio.

Melody to MIDI: Recognizes mono audio.

Drums to MIDI: Suitable for drum recordings.

What impressed me most was the ability to convert drum kits into new MIDI tracks. It automatically recognized deep, impactful sounds as bass drums, crisp "t" sounds as snare drums, and hissing "s" sounds as hi-hats.

Furthermore, you can specify the synthesizers or instruments you want to use and pre-set parameters such as BPM for easy batch MIDI output.

Ableton Live offers the following purchase plans:

Intro: $99, 16 tracks & 5+ GB of sounds.

Standard: $439, 38+ GB of sounds & more instruments and effects.

Suite: $749, 71+ GB of sounds, Max for Live & all instruments and effects.

Part 3. FAQs About Audio to MIDI Converter

1What is Audio to MIDI?

Audio to MIDI refers to the process of converting audio files into MIDI data. After conversion, you can edit and modify notes in the DAW, which is something audio files cannot do.

2 Can I Convert Audio to MIDI Online for Free?

Yes. Basic Pitch is a completely free online tool. Simply upload your audio to a webpage to convert it; no registration is required.

3 What's the best free audio to MIDI converter?

It depends on your needs. If you're looking for something completely free, Basic Pitch is the best free option. If you want AI generation capabilities, Tunesona also offers free creation credits.

4 Can audio to MIDI converters handle polyphonic music?

You can try, but the results are limited. The conversion accuracy for polyphonic music is much lower than for monophonic music, requiring a lot of manual correction.

Conclusion

These are my carefully selected audio to MIDI converters, but tools are just a means, the key is finding one that suits your needs.

Some people need pro audio to MIDI converter software because their projects require extremely high accuracy. Others just want a free audio to MIDI converter to quickly jot down their ideas.

There is no absolute best, only most suitable. Start transforming your audio to MIDI now!