Close vocal sketches
A melody sung near the phone microphone has one clear pitch source and distinct attacks, which is a strong starting point for transcription.
M4A to MIDI Converter
Turn an iPhone Voice Memo or AAC recording into editable notes without sending the idea to a server. Better phone placement can make a bigger difference than post-processing.
Record close to the instrument in a furnished, quiet room; distance and room echo are common causes of messy phone transcriptions.
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.
0notes
—range
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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
M4A is useful for ideas captured on a phone
Apple Voice Memos exports recordings as .m4a by default, and AAC in an M4A container is common across the Apple Music ecosystem. It is a convenient path from a quick sketch to a DAW-ready melody; protected subscription downloads are not ordinary source files the browser can decode.
Single acoustic instruments
A guitar, flute or keyboard recorded alone can work when the phone is close enough to capture direct sound over the room.
Quick mobile-to-DAW workflow
Export or share the original .m4a, open this page, then download MIDI for later editing on a desktop. No account is needed between devices.
What can go wrong
Why phone M4A recordings create uncertain notes
A phone microphone several metres from the source captures reflections almost as strongly as direct sound. Each wall reflection repeats and blurs an onset, so one performed note can acquire a long, uneven tail.
Air conditioning, traffic and handling noise compete with quiet fundamentals. Automatic gain or enhancement can also raise the room between phrases or reshape attacks, making boundaries less stable.
Most M4A sketches use lossy AAC. AAC is efficient, but a low-quality or repeatedly shared copy may contain less high-frequency and transient detail than the original recording.
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
Record a cleaner M4A before converting it
For a phone recording, microphone position and room choice are part of the transcription workflow. Fixing them at capture time beats trying to remove echo later.
Move the phone closer
Place it close enough for the instrument or voice to dominate, while leaving enough distance to avoid breath blasts, handling noise or overload.
Choose a non-reverberant room
Curtains, furniture and soft surfaces reduce strong reflections. Avoid a tiled kitchen, stairwell or empty room for a transcription sketch.
Compare enhancement off
If an Enhance Recording or noise-processing option makes attacks pump or ambience rise, export the unenhanced version and compare its MIDI result.
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
Can I convert an iPhone Voice Memo directly to MIDI?
Yes. Export the recording as an .m4a file, then choose it here. The browser analyzes that local file and lets you download MIDI.
Why does a distant phone recording create long MIDI notes?
The microphone captured more room reflection relative to direct sound. Those reflections blur the end of one note and the beginning of the next.
Is every M4A file encoded with AAC?
No. M4A is a container and can also hold codecs such as Apple Lossless. Many phone recordings use AAC, so the actual source app and export setting matter.
Can I convert a protected Apple Music download?
Protected subscription downloads are not supported input files. Use an unprotected recording or export that you own and have permission to edit.
Should I enable Voice Memos Enhance Recording first?
Not automatically. Enhancement can help listening but may reshape noise and attacks. Compare the original and enhanced versions if the first transcription is unstable.
Why will one M4A open on my phone but not in my browser?
M4A can contain different codecs, and browser decoding support varies. Exporting a standard AAC M4A, MP3 or PCM WAV is the practical fallback.