Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Reading music from a CD (Read 23722 times) previous topic - next topic

Reading music from a CD

I have a piano, song that I love on one of my CD's. I can't find the sheet music for it and I was wondering if I could use Noteworthy Composer to make out the sheet music for it.

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #1 –
In a word, no. A couple people on the newsgroup have experimented with "wav-to-midi" converters, with no luck to speak of.

Here's an opportunity to practise your ear-training!

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #2 –
Well, If I figure a way of doing it. I'll let you know

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #3 –
If you mean taking the actual recording and converting it directly into a midi or nwc file...
the problem is the difference in format and principle. A NWC file (and a MIDI file) is a list of notes and events. A wave file (like CD audio) is digital audio. VERY VERY different.
There are simple programs that can take a single pitch of music and turn it into a melody line but even those are experimental. Taking a whole song and turning it into a midi or nwc file.. well, maybe a cray supercomputer could do that, if such a program to do such a thing exists...
The only kind of "computer" that can turn a digital audio file into a NWC file that I know of is the human brain.

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #4 –
You might take a look at the program Wav2Midi, found at the following site:
http://www.audioworks.com/index.html
I tried this some time ago, using the computer microphone and played in, (created a WAV file), then converted to MIDI.
Don't know about a CD WAV (multi-voice), but it might be worth looking at, they have a free trial usage.

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #5 –
I don't believe that a multi-voice audio track on a CD can be converted to a midi - yet.

I found a research fellow at Durham Univ. (UK) who had succeeded in converting a .wav file of a relatively simple multi-voice classical piece to a multi-channel midi but it took many, many passes to achieve this.

This was a few years ago so he may have refined this since.
The big problem in this conversion is establishing the db level of the desired signal and managing to sort out the notes from the harmonics which is not so difficult on a solo part.

You might like to try Spectrogram a freeware program by R.S.Horne that will display a log scale plot of the note frequencies in the file. (Search on Shareware.com).
You may be able to sort out the harmonies from this or at least you will appreciate the conversion problem.

Otherwise Fred is right - practice your ear training and transcribe the piece from the CD.

Good Luck!

Barry Graham

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #6 –
About ear-transcribing:

I once did such a work for a complete piece (Absalon Fili Mi, Josquin des Prés (Desprez)), and I used the simultaneous playback of NWC along with the CD track.
For work purpose, I put NWC part on the left, and CD track on the right (or reverse), and use a headphone to listen more closely. This is of great help, as you hear instantly any difference that can appear due to a transcription error.
Just start NWC first (as it may delay the beginning due to "compiling"), one measure before, and then start the CD at the proper place. Even the simple MPlayer of µ$ is good to this, since you may "mark" where you want to start.
Using a midi keyboard will help you too to record lively.

I do not have the CD no more, but you'll be able to check for the file soon on Scriptorium...

Note that when parts are well "pan"ed, i.e. Tenor on the left side, Bass on right and so on, it is much easier to transcribe without error --provided ou have a good "musical ear"-- since you're not wondering which part is THAT note... :-)

Brains are the most powerful computer I know, use it; moreover, "aucun effort humain ne sert à rien" (No human effort is not worthy) sais A. de Saint Exupéry.

May the notes be with you,

HTH, Marsu

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #7 –
>(No human effort is not worthy) sais A. de Saint Exupéry.

Except atomic bombs.

:-)

OK, OK I was taking it out of context.

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #8 –
Yes, transcribe by ear. Its a lot of fun!

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #9 –
Software such as Sound2Midi only works for wav files containing one note at a time. For music containing more than one note at a time, such as chords, I suggest you download a trial version of Intelliscore from http://www.intelliscore.net

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #10 –
!Yes! there is a brilliant program called BRAIN&EARS. !USE IT,AND HAVE SOME FUN !

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #11 –
Yours may be up to it, but we mere mortals need a little help!

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #12 –
If you can hear it in your head, it sure is easier to write it.Start small, work your way up. Make sure you can identify intervals (seconds, thirds, etc.), both melodically and harmonically. Each has it's own distinct 'color' from the overtones it creates. A piano is the best instrument for this training, as you can listen to the notes decay. Then have someone play simple melodies and you figure out the notes. Later, try chords - major, minor, and just let the 'flavor' of those sounds enter your head. It's well worth the effort.

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #13 –
I downloaded a shareware program recently which is supposed to help by giving a frequency analysis (with note frequencies shown) of .wav files. It looks quite interesting, but I haven't tried it out much as yet.

Unfortunately, I'm away from home at the moment, so I can't give you the URL, but I'll try and remember when I get back at the weekend.

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #14 –
I had been searching for freeware online that can convert midi to wav, and I found quite a lot of other stuff.

I believe the best way for the first question is to rip the song from the CD to a wav file, convert the polyphonic wav file to a midi file, then use some software to produce the score from it.

I've forgotten the software names, but you can search for them using keywords like "wav midi converter" at sites like ask.com. If you mix around with the keywords, you'll be able to find freeware for the steps above.

Happy searching!

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #15 –
A great transcription tool is "Musicians CD Player" from
http://www.ronimusic.com
You can isolate and continously repeat sections of CD track.
There is also a feature to record sections and playback at half/double speed and/or alter pitch in cents up to +- octave.

Re: Reading music from a CD

Reply #17 –
Try DMM (Digital Music Mentor) made by Sienzo.  That program lets you open a song on a cd and then, after a two step process, lets you see the guitar and bass Chords.  You can then take those chords and apply them to the piano.
Later
Mike