Clean single-note leads
Picked notes with space between phrases provide distinct attacks and one main pitch contour at a time.
Guitar to MIDI Converter
Extract notes and eligible pitch bends from a guitar recording without uploading it. A clean DI or dry solo line gives the model far clearer evidence than a distorted stereo rig.
Turn off distortion, chorus and delay before recording. Single-note clean guitar is substantially easier than a wide, sustained strum.
6.5-second synthetic melody · a workflow demo, not an accuracy benchmark.
This file may need a lot of memory
The selected file is {size}. MIDIFLOW does not upload it or impose a server limit, but very large files can run out of memory, especially on a phone.
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Compare the original with a simple synth preview of the detected notes. The preview does not reproduce the original sound or pitch bends.
Too many or missing notes? — increase it to keep fewer, more confident notes; decrease it to include quieter notes. Then compare the previews again.
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Best input
Guitar material that translates most clearly
Guitar can be melodic or polyphonic. Clean articulation and a stable tone decide whether the result behaves like a useful performance or a field of harmonic fragments.
DI rhythm parts
A direct input keeps the dry string signal before amp distortion, modulation and room sound add competing harmonics.
Simple chord changes
Slow, clean arpeggios or lightly voiced chords can work, but six-string strums and ringing open strings require more cleanup.
What can go wrong
Techniques that do not map neatly into MIDI notes
A bend, slide or wide vibrato moves continuously between pitches. Basic Pitch can estimate a pitch contour, but standard channel pitch bend affects every overlapping note, so polyphonic bend sections cannot always be written safely.
Distortion creates and amplifies upper harmonics. Those stable partials can be interpreted as extra notes above the fretted pitch, particularly during sustained power chords.
A strum is not one simultaneous onset: the pick crosses strings over time, and open strings continue under later chord changes. The piano roll may show staggered attacks, extended notes and missed inner strings.
Convert audio to MIDI in three steps
- 01
Choose audio
Choose an MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC or OGG recording, or try the sample. Start with a short solo part to check the result.
- 02
Transcribe notes
The converter estimates notes on this device. Your recording is not uploaded and no account is needed.
- 03
Listen, adjust and download
Compare the original with Play MIDI notes, apply a different note threshold if needed, then save the .mid file for your music software.
Transcription is powered by Spotify's open-source Basic Pitch model and runs in your browser.
Improve accuracy
Prepare guitar audio before transcription
Capture a dry performance for analysis. You can re-amp, distort and automate effects after the notes are cleaned in the DAW.
Record clean or direct
Use a DI box, interface instrument input or clean amp setting. Disable distortion, fuzz, chorus, phaser, delay and long reverb.
Separate solos from strumming
Convert the single-note solo as its own file. Treat dense rhythm-guitar chords as a rough guide rather than expecting tablature-level recovery.
Inspect expressive passages
After import, listen to bends and slides against the original. Remove fragmented notes and redraw pitch bend where the musical gesture matters.
Import the MIDI into your DAW
The download is a standard MIDI file containing note timing, pitch, velocity and eligible pitch-bend events. It does not contain the original instrument sound, so assign any software instrument after importing it.
Ableton Live
Create or choose a MIDI track, then drag the .mid file into an empty clip slot or the Arrangement. Load an instrument on that track and edit notes in the MIDI Note Editor.
Logic Pro
Drag the file into the Tracks area and choose a Software Instrument track. Open the Piano Roll to correct timing, note lengths or velocity before arranging.
FL Studio
Drag the file into the Channel Rack or use File › Import › MIDI file. Send the imported notes to a chosen instrument, then clean them in the Piano roll.
FAQ
Does the guitar MIDI include bends and vibrato?
MIDIFLOW writes detected pitch bends for notes that do not overlap another note. In polyphonic passages, bends are omitted to prevent one channel bend from detuning every active note.
Why does distorted guitar create octave notes?
Distortion strengthens harmonics above the played pitch. A detector can mistake a strong partial for another simultaneous note or the main fundamental.
Can a six-string chord become exact MIDI voicing?
Sometimes a clean chord is close, but ringing strings, shared harmonics and the time spread of a strum make exact six-note recovery unreliable.
Should I record an amp or use DI for conversion?
Use DI when available. It gives the transcription model a cleaner signal; you can apply an amp simulator to the MIDI instrument or original guitar later.
Why does a slide appear as several short notes?
The pitch passes continuously through intermediate semitones. Depending on contour strength and sensitivity, the model may divide that motion into separate note events.
Can this replace a dedicated MIDI guitar pickup?
No. A dedicated hexaphonic system tracks strings independently and can perform in real time. This page analyzes a finished audio file as an offline editable first pass.