Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: file conversion (Read 4082 times) previous topic - next topic

file conversion

Is there a way to change mp3 files, to allow songs to be worked on in NWC (key change, instrumentation, etc.)? Can change to wave file, but not to midi, which NWC needs to see, in order to open file in program. Any and all information would be appreciated.

Re: file conversion

Reply #1 –
This goes back to the old wave-to-midi question, which has been beat to death on this forum many times.

I heard a good analogy: you can easily make a cake out of milk, eggs, and sugar, but it's rather tough to make milk, eggs and sugar out of a cake.

If transposition is the sole object, there are a number of wave editors that will do the job. CoolEdit by Syntrillium can do this, as can several other programs. A similar operation, changing tempo without affecting pitch, can be accomplished using the freeware program Expander V1.2 by TOTH Laszlo and is available for download at Expander Hompage.

Re: file conversion

Reply #2 –
The few WAV to MIDI programs I've seen and tried were laughable, a total joke. I image an MP3 to MIDI program would be the same. One wanted 89 dollars, said it supported polyphonic conversion. So I followed the directions exactly as stated, it even had me tapping out the beat through the whole song, then I opened the result in Noteworthy. Only two staves of music were shown, no melody line, and the bass and alto parts did not remotely resemble the music in the WAV file. I quickly uninstalled their trial version and had my good laugh for the day. :)

Re: file conversion

Reply #3 –
However, the following might be interesting ...

Presumably, a MIDI file would be a lot smaller even than MP3. If the application were not to publish sheet music, but merely to compress a sound, then it might be useful to do this:

Have the program make a profile of the sounds obtainable from MIDI via the user's sound card. Then, analyze the WAV in terms of MIDI components that "best fit" synthesize the sound. The resulting MIDI file, when played through the same kind of sound card, out to give a credible rendering (he says optimistically). But the MIDI, transcribed into printable notes, might have no resemblance to the original score.

An application for this might be in sending background music (that does not need to be accurate) over the Internet, using the smalles possible file size, without needing to compose directly in MIDI.

Re: file conversion

Reply #4 –
Thanks people, for the replies; but, it seems as though I have more searching to do...I like the analogy about the cake...makes the problem I am facing, quite clear!