Midi to MP3 Converter

ApeintheShell

Registered
I've been searching versiontracker for a week now looking for a program that will convert my midi's to MP3. Likewise, i only found a command line app that doesn't install.

Does anyone know of one that could convert midi to mp3 or aiff?
 
a midi is only a file that tells a MIDI instrument what notes to play and for how long. It would be quite a feat to create a rendering engine to create a file of any sound format
 
I don't see why you'd want to do that, and I am curious to know, but I know one that will work for sure (I just tested it):

http://versiontracker.com/moreinfo.fcgi?id=16382&db=mac

It's called Audio Hijack and it costs 16 bucks. It's rated very highly by versiontracker.com members (4.7/5).

Another program you could try is Audio Recorder. If you're able to set the Sound system preferences pane to internal (under input), other than internal microphone (you'd get a lot of unwanted noise), then you'll be good to go. It can create the files in mp3 and aiff. And... it's free.

http://versiontracker.com/moreinfo.fcgi?id=17392&db=mac
 
I actually have a huge collection of video game songs i wanted to carry on the go.
Beleive it or not i do better on my tests at school when i listen to them. Which is because they don't distract me like the stuff people play at school where even i can't hear the songs on the iPod going.
Thanks for your help though.
I'll help you next time when your pet is stuck in a bank vault.
 
I'll help you next time when your pet is stuck in a bank vault.

By making sure he wont get out, right? (hehe) Not into pets, but you're welcome... :)

(Thanx, Rhino, for the compliment...)
 
I'm nearly sure you can convert MIDIs to MP3s using Quicktime Pro. Load 'em, then export em.

MP3 to midi? Now *that* is asking a lot.

Think of MIDI data as being like the scrolls in a player piano. Now imagine trying to get a piano to imitate, (for instance) a chicken clucking. What notes do you use for THAT?
 
There's another thread similar to this around somewhere. There seems to be a lot of confusion when it comes to MIDI files, there don't store any audio at all, just notes and other instructions such as tempo etc. Converting MIDI to mp3 and vice versa is impossible unless you use roundabout methods such as playing back a MIDI file with instruments assigned etc and recording the audio. There are also audio triggered soft synths. Roughly MIDI is to a postscript file as mp3 is to a jpeg.
 
BBB - That is surely ONE way to do it :) and if you want to create one entirely from scratch, with a melody you created, you might need to.

However, if you know where to look, MIDI files of popular songs are actually quite abundant on the internet. For starters, check www.midifarm.com

Monkus: I think that's exactly what QT Pro will do for you - using the default instrument sets.
 
It's quite easy to create an MP3 (or any other audio file) from a MIDI file, as you merely export what the MIDI file sounds like, and you get a replica. It's like photocopying a physical object, like a banana. You can't manipulate the banana, but you can see what it looks like. A good program to create MIDI files, and export them as whatever you like, is Melody Assistant from Myriad.

However, going to MIDI from MP3 is impossible, just as you can't create a banana from a photocopy of one. If you want a MIDI file of a popular song, you can look on www.mididb.com or what Brian suggested.
 
I'm always hesitant to say "impossible".

For instance, if you started with a simple, single-instrument MP3 recording, you could probably, with much effort, write a program that would analyze the frequency, duration and loudness of each note, and create the appropriate MIDI data to approximate it. It would almost surely be far more effort than it would be worth, but possible, sure.

Actually, it'd have to be not just a single-instrument, but a one-note-at-a-time instrument, like a horn or maybe a violin. Chords would be much harder to pick apart. Maybe you could do some really fancy fourier anaylsis and try to tease out the individual notes, but it'd be a serious headache.

So perhaps not actually IMPOSSIBLE, but surely FAR more trouble than its worth.
 
Well, sure, you could write some sort of genius software to analyze the notes of a simple MP3, but humans have a hard time doing that; getting a computer to do it is extremely difficult. Then, if you have a song with multiple instruments playing simultaneously, like an orchestral piece, the software will get a headache trying to figure it out, much less you trying to program it.

Nothing is impossible, just highly improbable. In this case, it is as improbable as an egg bouncing off concrete without breaking when dropped from 5 stories up.
 
Hm, I don't know why all of you are suggesting external sollutions. It can easily done with onboard methodes (Quicktime (pro?), iTunes)

Basically even if the computer has to interprate 'midi notes' it also has to create an output 'wave' stream so you are able to hear the music when the midi file is 'played'. This output can be grabbed and converted by Quicktime.

Load a midi into Quicktime then use the export function > music -> aiff.

Then use itunes to import the in Quicktime created aiff file. Itunes simply creates a mp3 file you can use with you ipod or another mp3 player.

It may be that you'll need Quicktime pro in order to use the various export functions.

You can use Quicktime as high quality software synth to get better sounding midi playback.

Quicktime interprets *.sf2 soundfonts. Copy the *.sf2 file of your choise in
"Your HD > Library > Audio > Sounds > Banks"

Then open System preferences > Quicktime > Music and change the soundfont from the Quick time music - synth to the one you copied into the "Your HD > Library > Audio > Sounds > Banks" folder.

edit: Some people already mentioned it how to export midi to mp3. Sorry I should read the messages more carefully before posting anything.
 
I have never thought about Audio Hijack. QuickTime should be able to render a MIDI file to AIFF via its cheesy sounding default synthesizer, and you can convert that to MP3 in iTunes. But results may be terrible.
I recommend you trying MIDI to MP3 Converter for Mac. Its main advantage is the quick conversion without using any sound card, with different instrument sets (soundfonts). You can try a free trial version of it to see how it works.
 
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