Bill Canty

Complete pre-novice here. (Planning to buy the program when version 5's ready. Yeah, I know about the free upgrade, but I'll be busy finishing off a project or two for the next couple of months.)

I'm mostly interested in MIDI, therefore only need Max. But I'd be very interested in MSP too if it could do...

- Audio-to-MIDI. Especially in realtime, like Digital Ear (

- Audio harmony processing, like the Digitech Vocalist, etc.

If these are huge, difficult tasks (as I assume they would be for a beginner) something that's already done would be great, free or commercial.

- Audio-to-MIDI. Especially in realtime, like Digital Ear (http://www.digital-ear.com/)

audio-to-midi-harmony-processing-in-maxmsp

I wouldn't suggest purchasing Max/MSP just for to generate a harmony, unless you plan to do more with that information since other standalone apps exist for that sort of thing.

 that will get pitch information for you, but making the output work for you is not easy as pie. You see, most Max/MSP objects output streams of raw data. They are built that way so you have complete control over things.

I haven't looked, but try searching the forums or Google for Max/MSP patches that solve this problem. I bet nearly every Max/MSP user has wanted this type of thing and about 1/4 have actually tried building the patch you describe.

There are objects like pitch~ (http://web.media.mit.edu/~tristan) that will get pitch information for you, but making the output work for you is not easy as pie.  You see, most Max/MSP objects output streams of raw data.  They are built that way so you have complete control over things.

I haven't looked, but try searching the forums or Google for Max/MSP patches that solve this problem.  I bet nearly every Max/MSP user has wanted this type of thing and about 1/4 have actually tried building the patch you describe.

 and found a patch built that does what you need :)

http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/arshia/index.php?n=Main.Transcribe

real-time polyphonic audio to Midi transcriber

Outputs a [MIDIPITCH MIDIVELOCITY] list for each note (both onset and offset)

Just did a search at http://www.maxobjects.com and found a patch built that does what you need :)

It's called transcribe: http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/arshia/index.php?n=Main.Transcribe

-------------------
transcribe
real-time polyphonic audio to Midi transcriber
Realtime Transcription of Music Signals.
Outputs a [MIDIPITCH MIDIVELOCITY] list for each note (both onset and offset)


> I wouldn't suggest purchasing Max/MSP just for to generate a

> harmony, unless you plan to do more with that information since > other standalone apps exist for that sort of thing.

I'm getting Max anyway. Just wondering whether to get MSP too.

I prefer to avoid having too many interconnected apps - there's usually less to go wrong. Plus there's the cost of extra apps. Plus, the best audio-to-MIDI app seems to be the Windows-only Digital Ear, which is not only a separate app, but would need a copy of Windows and Parallels or Fusion to run on my Mac. So, yeah, if Max/MSP could do it, life'd be much simpler (at least in theory!)

> I bet nearly every Max/MSP user has wanted this type of thing

> and about 1/4 have actually tried building the patch you

http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/arshia/index.php?>

> I wouldn't suggest purchasing Max/MSP just for to generate a
> harmony, unless you plan to do more with that information since > other standalone apps exist for that sort of thing.

> I bet nearly every Max/MSP user has wanted this type of thing
> and about 1/4 have actually tried building the patch you
> describe.

> Just did a search at http://www.maxobjects.com and found a
> patch built that does what you need :)
>
> It's called transcribe: http://cosmal.ucsd.edu/arshia/index.php?> n=Main.Transcribe

Audio-to-MIDI & harmony processing in Max/MSP?