Converting Audio To Midi In Cakewalk

[Starise 835]

I know most veterans here already know this. I made a  video for a violin forum to show them how to convert a recorded track. I am posting this here for newbs.

You don't really need to make a separate midi track. I mainly do this so I have a spare midi always on hand to work with. As you will hear, the track is pretty badly recorded

and the conversion still picked up over 95% of the notes accurately. The rest could be edited in midi for correction. For anyone who needs to convert to notation, this is WAY easier than  typing in entire scores to a notation program if you can play fairly accurately.

If you know of alternate ways to do this or shortcuts to the process please chime in. Thanks.

 

[Creative Sauce 256]

Nice tutorial Tim! I have sometimes used this method to adlib instrument solos. I kind of sing an improvised melody just with "la" or something, then use Melodyne to make the MIDI for the virtual instrument. As you say - a little bit of tidying to do, but I've found this makes really fluid solos for parts like trumpets or sax.

[Starise 835]

Thanks! 

I am always open to any new ideas on how to best utilize this. The ability to do this is an amazing thing!  Humming would work just as well. I like that I can take my very bad sounding violin signal and make it presentable with a few minor tweaks. The sky is the limit on what can be done really. I didn't add any additional expression into this or tweak any of the VSTi . TBH I'm probably not the best person for that subject. Maybe a subject you could cover in a later video?  I usually stop at velocity and the mod wheel. Most of the time it sounds fairly realistic without any additional added tweaking.

[Jim Fogle 496]

@Starise, Thanks for creating and sharing the video.  For one I didn't realize how easy it is to convert from monophonic audio to midi using Melodyne.  I know ARA 2 lets Melodyne integrate with Cakewalk but that's the first video where what that means really sinks in.

Another user informed me the Assistant, Editor and editions of Melodyne can transform a monophonic audio track to midi.  Cakewalk by BandLab offers the demo edition of Melodyne through the add on Cakewalk app button in BandLab Assistant.

PG Music's Band-in-a-Box program includes a feature that can convert a monophonic audio track to an audio track but the method is MUCH more complex than the method you demonstrated.  Some people may not be aware but all Band-in-a-Box for Windows packages include the identical Band-in-a-Box program.  So all have midi from monophonic audio capability.

Edited February 4, 2020 by Jim Fogle
Edited to remove Melodyne editions question @starise answers below.

[Starise 835]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for bringing this up. I would not want to mislead anyone.

Unfortunately it looks like Audio to MIDI begins with the Assistant version according to this MELODYNE VERSIONS

I recently updated my Melodyne and the upgrade was only 49.95. I'm not making any promises here, but if you add your email to their mailing list 

you could possibly get a sweeter deal or can at least be on the list for promotions. I use the Editor edition that I bought on sale originally awhile back.

I think the studio version of the program will allow multiple tracks. I would love to have it but the asking price is a little steep for me right now.

FYI- If you right click on a stereo recorded audio track in Cakewalk there is a "convert to mono" choice.

I always had an interest to try out Band in A Box. I hear it's a great program to work in. Just been too busy to look at it

Edited February 4, 2020 by Starise

[sjoens 123]

With CbB 2020.11 and Melodyne Editor 4.2.4 all I get is flat lined midi notes. Every note is A4.

[JoeGBradford 460]

Hi Starise - nice to see the face behind the name - and great that you chose Sally Gardens as your melody - one of my favourite folk songs 🙂

[michheld 19]

On 11/26/2020 at 2:17 PM, sjoens said:

With CbB 2020.11 and Melodyne Editor 4.2.4 all I get is flat lined midi notes. Every note is A4.

Oh, this is what Cakewalk built in for the Melodyne5-Integration: "Selection of the algorithm".

If you get all the same note the used algorithm is "percussion". You should use "melodic" instead, I guess...

 

[sjoens 123]

If I simply drag an audio clip to a MIDI track, like demonstrated by the OP, it flat lines all the notes.

Seems I have to create a Melodyne Region FX clip first. Then it works. I don't see where the OP did that.

 

[Bruno de Souza Lino 103]

V Vocal also does pitch to midi.

[Starise 835]

On 11/30/2020 at 2:37 AM, sjoens said:

If I simply drag an audio clip to a MIDI track, like demonstrated by the OP, it flat lines all the notes.

Seems I have to create a Melodyne Region FX clip first. Then it works. I don't see where the OP did that.

 

 If Melodyne settings are not set to percussion you should be able to drag and drop the track if in mono. Are you using a recent version of Cakewalk and Melodyne?

[sjoens 123]

Latest CbB. Melodyne 4 Editor.

Funny I just tried it again in my latest project and it worked w/o creating a Region FX clip so the setting must have been  percussive before.

Edited January 12 by sjoens