Change vocal audio to synth sound, can it be done?

I have a friend with a small home studio. It's a Mac based studio, but he said he can work with WAV files. He's pretty good at it, and I've done some wind synth tracks on his first CD many years ago.

He's doing a new project and cut a tune with background singers. The background voices are all together on a single audio track.

He wants to copy and paste a verse in the middle to add a guitar solo, and wants the background vocal parts, but wants it done with no words, but instead some kind of synth sound. That way he could play guitar and have the vocals turned synth be the answer parts.

He doesn't want to figure out what the singers sang note-for-note and have it played on a synth, as the harmonies are pretty dense and blended quite well.

He asked me if I knew how to do this, and I don't but I told him I'd try some things and see what I can some up with.

I tried the vocoder in Audacity but with no luck. I tried pitch to MIDI in Power Tracks, but I can't get that to work.

Does anyone know:

Can this be done
If so, what app/tool to use
And how to do it.

He's done some favors for me in his home studio and he's a good friend, so I'd like to help him out if I can.

Thanks.

Notes

Sounds like a job for Melodyne. It could do that.

I also use Adobe Audition and that has a Spectrum Analysis tool that would plot the frequencies.

You may be able to find some free plugin somewhere that do the same.

Melodyne has several levels; you would need the top level, called Melodyne Editor with DNA.

If you would like to send me the vocal audio track I could see in Melodyne Editor could do something for you and send back the converted to midi track. dan@jazzmandan(dot)com

There is a program funded thru KickStarter.
I funded at start for $25 but have not used it...
Have watched a couple of demo's and there is some merit, but ????

Imitone vocal to midi......

demos here

It's possible Ableton Live 9 can do it too, the hour long vid I watched when it launched was pretty amazing but it costs several hundred bucks.

Bob

Melodyne Editor is very likely the program to try first.

I have editor (ME) but when I tried to edit a poly piano track it did better at removing notes than trying to change notes. I never tried to get it to convert audio to midi.

It nailed the poly notes in the chords so I would think it should be a breeze to make them midi notes and them apply a synth of your choice to the resultant midi track.

Perhaps I will play around and experiment with this since I have never done it.

Notes, I have used Melodyne Editor to change guitar chords into MIDI and it worked perfectly. But if the vocals have a lot of vibrato, slurs and/or effects it makes the conversion a lot harder. It can be done with but with quite a bit of editing.

Ps - I have tried a number of audio to MIDI programs and Melodyne Editor is the best thus far.

Thanks all.

Although he really wanted direct voice to synth, it looks like voice to MIDI to synth to Melodyne is the best answer.

I tried Melodyne a few years ago, and it wasn't that good, but software always improves with time.

If it works, I'd probably buy it, as it could be very helpful to me in other projects. And my friend would probably want it too, I read it comes in OSX as well.

I'll download the trial and see what happens. I think it would be fine, as the last time I did a trial I was using XP so there shouldn't be anything left on my computer.

Thanks again,
Bob

I'm sure it has improved since then. I've tried it about two years ago for a project and it is on my wishlist.

Notes, it you are having problems feel free to PM me. Also if you want I will do the conversion for you , again just PM me.

Thanks Mario

HI Notes. I have done this on several songs. Here is an example. The flute is midi (Dimension Pro) generated from the lead vocal. I did this with Melodyne. The good news is that you don't even need to buy Melodyne. The free version can do this. (I discovered this when my trial version expired).

Just open the wave file with the vocal in Melodyne. Adjust the tempo shown to match exactly that of the song and then do a save as midi. Then import the midi file into your DAW, edit some of the midi notes and assign your synth track. Easy and FREE. let me know how it turns out.

SAMPLE SONG WITH AUDIO TO MIDI

Thanks!!!

Notes, the free version of Melodyne is monophonic only. Your message said the backing vocals are all on one track so this version will not work. You will need Melodyne Editor if you want to convert polyphonic audio to MIDI.

I'll probably d/l Melodyne first of the week. It's gigging time.

Thanks again for all your help.

Bob

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Vocoder
One of these might do the trick. I think Herbie used one of these years back.

I love Vocoders, and there is a Vocoder plug-in in Audacity. It got the voice more robot sounding but you can still hear the articulation.

After talking with my friend, he says he wants to think about springing a few hundred bucks for what might be a one-time use on one guitar solo a CD. He says he might decide to nix the solo or keep the voices in.

Thanks for all your suggestions, I might download the Melodyne demo anyway, as it seems like a pretty cool toy. And if I like it, I'll buy it for myself.

Notes

Notes, several here have volunteered to try out there Melodyn on the polyphonic voices to midi. Simple providing a link. Many have more time than money and have already invested in the app.

Ya may get a great result back or a "don't go there".

Just sayin...

Could trry Sonuus i2m or g2m.
Only monofonic.

Yeah, even PMing a link to the vox mentioned would probably give you the best response .. you could hear different attempts with different tools pretty easily and affordably.. without any $$ outlay.

I guess you may have 'rights' concerns, but if you are selective your exposure is pretty limited.
Otherwise these type of discussions can become pretty subjective. A simple sample to tinker with would let you see what is possible with tool A and B. I'm sure people here would pitch in. If it's background vox, having them not being too 'real' may be OK .. or not. Many times when BG vox sound good in a song, you may be surprised how they sound when soloed. Same applies to a good bass track a lot of times.

My buddy has dropped the project, and since he has, I don't want to ask his permission to share his file.

He decided not to do the guitar solo in the song.

Sorry to take up all your time.

Personally, I have no need for vocal to synth, although Melodyne does look interesting. I haven't the time to investigate Melodyne right now, too many other irons in the fire - and I'm relieved that I don't have to spend more time on my friend's project. It's not that I don't want to help, it's just that I'm a little swamped right now.

But I like being busy.

Thanks again for all your help.

Bob

Well that's a horse of a completely different color.

Was just an idea.

Yes, he was just looking for a quick way to do it.

He is putting himself under a lot of pressure to get his CD out before the Florida gigging season in the fall, so when it started to look like a long learning curve, he decided the 8 bars of solo weren't worth that much time, and the time he does have would be better spent in other aspects of the project.

Sometimes you just have to prioritize your time.

Me, I'm still making new backing tracks for new songs for a new client. Lots of Caribbean/Tropical stuff with some 70s disco added.

Insights and incites by Notes