Free browser pass
Basic Pitch · Local MIDI
Best for a quick melodic draft when the source is isolated and you want to keep the audio on your device.
Audio to MIDI converter guide
Choose the converter by what you will fix after export.
For one clean melody, use a free browser tool. For chords or a full mix, choose a workflow that lets you inspect missing notes, false notes, and timing instead of promising a perfect first pass.
The short answer
Single melody: start with Basic Pitch or Local MIDI. Prepared paid workflow: try NoteGrabber. Chords and dense material: use Melodyne or Prism and budget time for manual edits.
A practical decision map
The input decides more than the brand.
| What is in your audio? | Start here | What to check after export |
|---|---|---|
| One clear vocal, bass, or lead line | Local MIDI or Basic Pitch | Octave, pitch bends, note joins, and quiet notes |
| A melody with vibrato or slides | Basic Pitch, then a piano-roll cleanup | Short fragments, neighbouring pitches, and split sustains |
| Piano, chords, or overlapping instruments | Melodyne or Prism | Missing notes, false notes, timing, and chord spelling |
| A full mix | Separate stems first, then convert each part | Bleed between parts and edits left by the stem separation |
Why this is different from a tool list. A converter can export a MIDI file and still leave the useful work undone. This page makes the repair surface explicit: the next decision is not only which model to click, but which notes you will inspect after the file is created.
Tool fit
Use the lightest workflow that matches the material.
Guided paid process
NoteGrabber
Useful when you want a directed workflow for prepared material rather than a one-click promise for a dense mix.
Deep correction
Melodyne · Prism
Choose these when inspecting and correcting polyphonic notes is part of the job, not an unexpected failure.
Before you call it done
Make the first pass useful in your DAW.
- Listen to the source and mark the parts that overlap.
- Open the exported MIDI and check octave and note starts before changing the performance.
- Count the obvious false or missing notes in the passage you care about.
- Keep the source audio beside the MIDI while you repair timing and note lengths.