Converting polyphonic audio to a midi signal - how?

[celebritymusic]

Hi

Just wondering if there is any way to convert an audio track of guitar chord strumming into a midi signal?

Cheers!

Shaun

[Kiwiburger]

There might be some software audio-to-midi converters, but I would doubt that they would be musically useful. Just google on "audio to midi converter polyphonic".

The real way to do what you propose is to use a midi guitar, or fit a midi converter to your guitar. Roland have done one for years.

I'm not sure you would really convince anyone with midi guitar sounds, but it's a good tool to give midi sounds to guitarists. Ideal if you want an orchestral pad behind your real guitar, or for playing trumpet solos from your guitar.

[jmiller]

There are a few tools that claim to do this:

http://www.kichiki.com/WAON/waon.html

http://www.audioto.com/

I tried this with irritating, unpredictable, and useless results for precisely the same purpose. YMMV.

You are going to laugh at this, but here was my solution;
Yamaha Ez-Eg

Yes, it is a toy, and not inexpensive one at that (the "acoustic" version, the Ez-Ag, is cheaper). But, with a little manipulation, it works as a decent midi controller. It has decent midi implementation and comes with a MIDI-to-USB adaptor. Unlike a roland guitar synth pickup, there is no pitch-to-midi conversion. Six "buttons" at each fret position act as note-on triggers. Six "string" triggers at the "bridge" trigger the notes. Thus, there isn't the lag or tracking errors often associated with midi pickups. It isn't perfect. I bought mine because I sometimes have to program midi guitar (yes, I actually HAVE to program midi guitar), and because it's a slightly more familiar interface than a keyboard to me. Sometimes I have to do a little cleanup after playing it in, but it's worth it for me. It can be kind of fun playing pad and synth sounds with. It's one of those things that looks kinda ridiculous but kinda cool at the same time (light-up frets!).

In order for it to be really effective, you need this utility to manipulate the incoming data:
http://www.tencrazy.com/gadgets/ezeg/

I actually use another one called MIDIX.hta but the site seems to be down. You can get a bunch of info by reading through the HUGE thread at KVR:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41787

[mitchell]

You're going to need this new thing they have out now called a "musician". I hear they aren't very reliable, but when they work, they do great stuff.

:>)

mitchell