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Does anyone know of a drum transcription software program. This would analyze a WAV file of drums only, and generate a .mid file of the drum hits, preferably using GM note numbers. We've tried a few that don't work well, so I'm wondering if others have suggestions about ones that do work.


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Intriguing. I do not know of such software. Good luck.


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No experience, but, have you explored Melodyne ?


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Peter if you bought Tracktion 3 when it was $19 a few years ago, I could send you a Tracktion project file which can do this. You MIGHT be able to do it with RealBand. Here's how it works.

Assumptions:
1. The drum track consists of a relatively low number of 'instruments', say kick, snare, HH, rack tom 1,2,3 and maybe a crash.
2. Each of the items from #1 has a frequency range that can be emphasized, that does not overlap with other of the instruments.
3. In the signal chain, if you cannot apply parallel processing, then you need to do the steps one 'instrument' at a time for the drum track.
4. You can host the ktdrumtrigger vst plugin available here: http://www.koen.smartelectronix.com/KTDrumTrigger/ (free btw)

Here is the premise of the heart and soul of how to take the .wav and go to MIDI from it.

The KT Drum Trigger plugin looks for a frequency range specific change in level and if it sees a level change over your specified trigger level, it triggers a MIDI note on and velocity event each time it goes over the user set trigger signal level. The plugin also allows for specifying midi channel number. The plugin has 3 available ranges in one instance of the plugin.

If the host software allows for parallel processing, you can instantiate multiple instances of this plugin in parallel, with each instance using different specified ranges. In front of the plugin, you can apply EQ and dynamics processing to 'juice' the individual instrument.

This capability is something that I fell in love with Tracktion's semi-modular host. In fact, many years ago, I used this technique to do a verbal 'beat box' and trigger drum machine samples with it.

I described it in a post at www.kvraudio.com back in 2005. Here's the post: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88341 Unfortunately it's so old that all of the audio examples I posted and a guy with real 'beat box' skills posted are long gone.

But this is something that you can easily gin-up in Tracktion as it's sold today. With Tracktion in it's most recent state, you can re-route the midi stream that results and record it and voila, you have achieved the goal.

I have to believe that there's a more purpose-built software to do this, but it was very easy to do it in Tracktion and that's likely way less expensive than any purpose built software.

-Scott

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So you are talking Stereo Drums ?
I think Ableton Live 9 "Convert Drums to midi track" was the quickest and closest to being right out of all the things I tried.
Ableton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R91qSOgWh5Y

https://www.google.ca/webhp?hl=en#hl=en&q=Ableton+Live+9+Drums+to+Midi

Ableton midi
MIDI_CountryEven8_120_Style.mid

Drumagog with a one-mic drum track
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC1jnwOQiuA

Quote:
Although Drumagog is designed for use on separate drum tracks (snare
drum on one track, bass drum on another, etc.), by using the trigger filter
it is possible to use Drumagog to replace drums on a mixed stereo
drum track. To do this make two exact copies of the mixed drum track
and insert Drumagog on both copies. Next set the first Drumagog’s
trigger filter to low pass, and the second Drumagog’s filter to hi-pass.
With some careful adjustments, the first Drumagog should trigger only
on the bass drum, while the second only on the snare drum.







Last edited by solidrock; 07/14/15 11:44 PM.
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Yep, Ableton it is. I haven't used it myself but I've seen demo vids where they do this easily. One thing that blew me away was a guy simply beatboxed (badly) into a mic and Abelton turned it into a full midi drum kit. And then the presenter switched it from acoustic to electronic drums and then he went into turning that into a killer percussion section. He also "sang" a bass line and it created a bass midi track too.

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Thanks for the replies. I'm looking into them


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Peter,

I saw Melodyne metioned. I've enjoyed the Melodyne videos on this in the past. Good resource:.

Using Melodyne to convert Audio to MIDI by David Whalen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBj22Sfu1hA

How to convert drum audio into velocity accurate midi using Melodyne Editor by BSHAV (Brandon S. Hire's Audio & Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sU6Ffcr2ik




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Peter,

I have no idea if this works or not

http://www.intelliscore.net/

but interesting question I remember just seeing LAST WEEK something similar in a product I already have - I'm looking now [but being old and forgetful it could have been how to convert hip-hop to my recycle bin smile ]

Larry

EDIT: PS - Please report back if you DO find something specialized that works - but doesn't require us to buy yet ANOTHER DAW.

Last edited by Larry Kehl; 07/16/15 10:25 AM.

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Tried Intelliscore, I don't think I got around to trying this:

BEAT_to_MIDI_1.0.0_Beta.zip


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf0tTaExmCc

I think any way you go you will have to correct all the fills manually.

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Let us know if you find something that works, Peter.

I tried Melodyne a number of years ago, and it didn't do the drums, but I'm sure there have been some updates since then.

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Originally Posted By: sslechta
Peter,

I saw Melodyne metioned. I've enjoyed the Melodyne videos on this in the past. Good resource:.

Using Melodyne to convert Audio to MIDI by David Whalen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBj22Sfu1hA

How to convert drum audio into velocity accurate midi using Melodyne Editor by BSHAV (Brandon S. Hire's Audio & Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sU6Ffcr2ik


I am going to give this a try....I looked at the two videos about Melodyne. I will take a real track drum line and try to convert it to midi...have no idea how this will work out. If I can get it to work I will post something. My best guess not having tried this is that there will be lost of work to get what I want.


Thanks for the info.

Billy

PS....trying this but no joy yet...lol

Last edited by Planobilly; 07/18/15 09:07 AM.

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This is new out just downloading all 900meg now to try out, it exports to midi, not sure how it will go with stereo:
http://www.xlnaudio.com/addictivetrigger

Last edited by solidrock; 09/29/15 11:32 AM.
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If anyone has got some software to work, (to convert a drum Audi WAV to MIDI ) could they please try it on one of our drum files in the bb\drums folder and post the results as a MIDI file?


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Originally Posted By: solidrock
This is new out just downloading all 900meg now to try out, it exports to midi, not sure how it will go with stereo:
http://www.xlnaudio.com/addictivetrigger


From XLN

"I'm afraid that the current version of Addictive Trigger does not allow you to trigger hi-hats and cymbals - only bass drum, snare drum and toms.

It is possible to make a midi file from a single stereo drum track. Here's how you would need to do it:

1. Create one audio track for each drum (one for kick, one for snare, then one for each tom)
2. Copy the drum recording so that there is a copy on each of the audio tracks (make sure that the recordings line up perfectly!)
3. Put one instance of Addictive Trigger on each audio track
4. On the kick track, select "Kick" in the top left corner, right beside the Addictive Trigger logo. On the Snare track, select "Snare" and then do the same for the tom tracks.
5. On the snare track, load a snare sound. Then do the same for the tom tracks as well. It doesn't matter what sound you choose, this will just make it easier for you to hear if it triggers correctly.
6. Use the Audio Fingerprint technology on each instance to tell Addictive Trigger that "on this track, only listen for the bass drum", "on this track, only listen for the snare hits" etc.
7. When you have made sure that each track triggers for the correct sound, then you hit the play button in your host until it has played through the whole track
8. Now that all midi has been recorded, click the [Export MIDI] button in one of the Addictive Trigger instances
9. In that window, click the Merge Tracks button to collect midi notes from all instances of Addictive Trigger. Then you can drag the midi into your host.

Sorry for the wall of text. If you check the videos on our website I think you may find that it is not as complicated as it may seem when I type all the steps out :)"

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I have spent sooo much time, weeks on end trying n buying software to do this, my eyes are red sore from staring n reading, dragging drum files into apps.
I will keep trying but I think at the end of the day unless you are willing to sit down and manually correct the beats, it might be easier and quicker just getting a good Drummer with a good ear to come in (or better still send them to him/her to do at home in their own time) and listen to each wav and play n record it on a midi kit.
Maybe only if you need to, after in Reaper you can automatically put markers on the transients of the wav then snap midi to markers to try and have the timing identical to the org wav ?

I think you said the original recordings just had a few mics, but I suppose they were recorded straight to a stereo track ? no hard drives out the back with with multitrack recordings you can trigger from ?

Any new Drums just record em multitrack n have some triggers on them to get the midi also.

Anyone else got any ideas ? crazy

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Unfortunately, no. I can see the whole task having so many hit-and-miss challenges.

I think the problem really comes down to frequency separation, or a lack thereof. Yes, software could identify the kick from the snare, but trying to identify the ride cymbal from the splash cymbal, or the difference between a hit on the splash and a hit on the OHH has to be really challenging - with all those similar harmonics and frequencies.

I wish I knew, but I think this is destined to be a tough one.
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Peter,#
I have used Cubase for this. It was called hitpoints, then got a revamp. Basically what happens is the file is parsed, then hit points appear superimposed on the wav file pictured (and zoomable). Then you get to be able to drag the hit points around, tidy up as you wish. This is mapped to a tempo file. You get control over time signature too.

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Originally Posted By: ZeroZero
Peter,#
I have used Cubase for this. It was called hitpoints, then got a revamp. Basically what happens is the file is parsed, then hit points appear superimposed on the wav file pictured (and zoomable). Then you get to be able to drag the hit points around, tidy up as you wish. This is mapped to a tempo file. You get control over time signature too.

Z


Originally Posted By: PeterGannon
. .could they please try it on one of our drum files in the bb\drums folder and post the results as a MIDI file?

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Late to the party, I know, but this looked like new information.

http://bedroomproducersblog.com/2015/03/12/drums-audio-midi-convert/


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