Looking for info about music recording from keyboard to computer

[mrudman]

As a gift for Christmas, for my older daughter, I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to play a piano/keyboard and have a computer translate it in to sheet music?

I've tried to find the answer online, but I'm so confused on the whole process, I don't even know what I'm looking at.

We do have a couple keyboards here, but they both only have the basic audio input/output ports. I have a regular PC, a laptop, and a Mac Mini that she could use.

I just have no idea if there's programs out there that would work or what kind of hardware we'd need to link the synthesizer to a computer.

I tried to understand MIDI, which I'd seen mentioned online but don't understand what that is. And our keyboards we have don't have any MIDI ports.

I would not be against buying one with a MIDI port if she would need that, as this all could possibly be her main gift. Just not sure if that would even work.

Thanks for any help!

 

[wonder whisper]

The challenge you face is the keyboard your daughter currently has. The only currently available software that can accurately do what you describe (take an analog audio input and transcribe it into properly notated sheet music) is Sibelius. It is dead on accurate (I know from having used it) but not cheap - it costs $600 to purchase outright. However they also offer a subscription model at $20/month that might work for your daughter if she wants to transcribe a limited number of compositions.

If your daughter could update to a keyboard with a MIDI output, the transcription software options available to her would grow exponentially and become much less expensive.

 

[mrudman]

The challenge you face is the keyboard your daughter currently has. The only currently available software that can accurately do what you describe (take an analog audio input and transcribe it into properly notated sheet music) is Sibelius. It is dead on accurate (I know from having used it) but not cheap - it costs $600 to purchase outright. However they also offer a subscription model at $20/month that might work for your daughter if she wants to transcribe a limited number of compositions.

If your daughter could update to a keyboard with a MIDI output, the transcription software options available to her would grow exponentially and become much less expensive.

I could definitely get her a keyboard with a midi output. Could you tell me what other equipment I would need?

Also, what software should I be looking at that are user-friendly?

Thank you so much!

 

[wonder whisper]

I could definitely get her a keyboard with a midi output. Could you tell me what other equipment I would need?

Also, what software should I be looking at that are user-friendly?

Thank you so much!

Sure! First, you will need to get a MIDI to USB cable, example shown below to connect the keyboard to the computer). That may come with the new MIDI keyboard as an accessory (find out if it is when shopping).

If it's not, you'll need something like the below that has a standard UBS connector on one end and what used to be called Super VHS connectors that are round with pins (male end) and slots (female end), example below. They will plug into the new keyboard and the UBS connector will go into her computer. The new keyboard should have both MIDI in and MIDI out connectors which is the reason for the two round connectors (those facilitate allowing your daughter to have the software both transcribe what she is playing as well as allowing the computer to play the transcription back through her keyboard, which will let her confirm it is correct).

The other thing you will obviously need is the transcription software. Here are two free ones that gets the best reviews for being user friendly:

https://solmire.com/miditosheetmusic/

This one is the easiest to use, just requiring the user to upload a Midi file (which I will explain how to create below), which the site processes into downloadable sheet music.

https://musescore.org/en

It's another free source, albeit one which does require the user to have a basic understanding of music scoring (such as key signature, tempo, clefs, etc.)

To create a Midi file, the best and easiest way to do that is using Anvil Studio, which is free. It will allow your daughter to have what she is playing recorded as a Midi file which Anvil saves and even allows the user to edit.

https://www.anvilstudio.com/

FYI, another free converter which comes up frequently in search results but which I don't recommend is soundcloud.

You will find there are also still pay services online that will transcribe a MIDI file into sheet music, but with the technology advances creating a proliferation of free self-service tools to do that, I don't know how those pay services stay in business.

Hopefully this helps, let me know if you have other questions.

 

[mrudman]

Sure! First, you will need to get a MIDI to USB cable, example shown below to connect the keyboard to the computer). That may come with the new MIDI keyboard as an accessory (find out if it is when shopping).

If it's not, you'll need something like the below that has a standard UBS connector on one end and what used to be called Super VHS connectors that are round with pins (male end) and slots (female end), example below. They will plug into the new keyboard and the UBS connector will go into her computer. The new keyboard should have both MIDI in and MIDI out connectors which is the reason for the two round connectors (those facilitate allowing your daughter to have the software both transcribe what she is playing as well as allowing the computer to play the transcription back through her keyboard, which will let her confirm it is correct).

The other thing you will obviously need is the transcription software. The free one that gets the best reviews for being user friendly is at:

https://musescore.org/en

It open source software, very straightforward to use (load your Midi file into the software, have the system process it and save the resulting sheet music in PDF form). Site includes step by step tutorials and active user forums where you can get help and assistance.

Another free site that allows you to upload a MIDI file and get a pdf version of the transcribed sheet music:

https://solmire.com/miditosheetmusic/

FYI, another free converter which comes up frequently in search results but which I don't recommend is soundcloud.

You will find there are also still pay services online that will transcribe a MIDI file into sheet music, but with the technology advances creating a proliferation of free self-service tools to do that, I don't know how those pay services stay in business.

Hopefully this helps, let me know if you have other questions.

Wow, thank you so much for all this info! This is definitely very helpful, and am so excited that I'll be able to get this for my daughter.

 

[wonder whisper]

Wow, thank you so much for all this info! This is definitely very helpful, and am so excited that I'll be able to get this for my daughter.

Glad to help. FYI I updated my prior post to include info on recording midi files, which your daughter will need to do to use the sites I mentioned to transcribe them into sheet music.

 

[mrudman]

Glad to help. FYI I updated my prior post to include info on recording midi files, which your daughter will need to do to use the sites I mentioned to transcribe them into sheet music.

Ok, I have a couple more question for you, sorry, .

I've been researching keyboards and watching videos of people playing them and reviewing them.

One thing that I see a lot of the videos have is an external box that is being controlled by the keyboard and seems as if the sounds come from that box. Do these midi controller keyboards not play music (have sound) on their own?

And is there any way of playing these keyboards independent of any external system including a computer?

I'm thinking I might be getting way over my head here, lol... had no idea the features that these keyboards are capable of.

I know all my daughter really wants to be able to do is to play/compose a piano piece and be able to have the computer translate it into sheet music. Up until now, she's been writing out her own notes on lined staff paper.

Thanks for your help again!!

 

[wonder whisper]

Ok, I have a couple more question for you, sorry, .

I've been researching keyboards and watching videos of people playing them and reviewing them.

One thing that I see a lot of the videos have is an external box that is being controlled by the keyboard and seems as if the sounds come from that box. Do these midi controller keyboards not play music (have sound) on their own?

And is there any way of playing these keyboards independent of any external system including a computer?

I'm thinking I might be getting way over my head here, lol... had no idea the features that these keyboards are capable of.

I know all my daughter really wants to be able to do is to play/compose a piano piece and be able to have the computer translate it into sheet music. Up until now, she's been writing out her own notes on lined staff paper.

Thanks for your help again!!

No problem and as my father who was a professor used to say, there are no dumb questions.

Almost all lower and mid range digital keyboards have built in speakers (as well as output jacks that allow you to connect it to external amps and speakers). So no, you don't need a computer or any other equipment to play and hear them. But for the purposes of what your daughter is seeking to do, yes, that leads to having to connect her keyboard to a computer.

And all laptops have built in speakers and most desktops are connected to a set of external self amplified computer speakers.

So think of it all coming together this way: given your daughter would have a new keyboard with built in speakers and midi in and out capability, all she would have to do is connect the keyboard to the computer and as far as speaker audio goes, she'd be all set. She can use the audio from the keyboard speakers when composing (or optionally have it come out of her computer' speakers if she is using the Anvil software I mentioned) and can have the midi file play back either through her keyboard speakers or those of the computer. And again, once she has that midi file, she can go online and quickly get a downloadable sheet music version of her composition.

As for the videos you have seen, I suspect they are ones where people want a more "professional" set up and route the audio in their home studio to a external amp driving medium to large size monitor speakers. I am actually fine in my little basement studio just using a set of late 1990s small Harmon Kardon computer speakers. They're accurate and loud enough enough to give me a good sense of whether I like the mix of a given my composition or whether it needs tweaking. Once I have it finalized, I can then impress my friends and family by going upstairs and streaming it through the big, serious tube based home stereo in the family room.

 

[mrudman]

No problem and as my father who was a professor used to say, there are no dumb questions.

Almost all lower and mid range digital keyboards have built in speakers (as well as output jacks that allow you to connect it to external amps and speakers). So no, you don't need a computer or any other equipment to play and hear them. But for the purposes of what your daughter is seeking to do, yes, that leads to having to connect her keyboard to a computer.

And all laptops have built in speakers and most desktops are connected to a set of external self amplified computer speakers.

So think of it all coming together this way: given your daughter would have a new keyboard with built in speakers and midi in and out capability, all she would have to do is connect the keyboard to the computer and as far as speaker audio goes, she'd be all set. She can use the audio from the keyboard speakers when composing (or optionally have it come out of her computer' speakers if she is using the Anvil software I mentioned) and can have the midi file play back either through her keyboard speakers or those of the computer. And again, once she has that midi file, she can go online and quickly get a downloadable sheet music version of her composition.

As for the videos you have seen, I suspect they are ones where people want a more "professional" set up and route the audio in their home studio to a external amp driving medium to large size monitor speakers. I am actually fine in my little basement studio just using a set of late 1990s small Harmon Kardon computer speakers. They're accurate and loud enough enough to give me a good sense of whether I like the mix of a given my composition or whether it needs tweaking. Once I have it finalized, I can then impress my friends and family by going upstairs and streaming it through the big, serious tube based home stereo in the family room.

Ok, that really eases my mind... and thank you so much again for the additional info!! I really appreciate you talking me through all this technical stuff!