Converting Harmony To MIDI

Tutorial Number Two: Audio to MIDI in Live 9

Welcome to tutorial number two in my series on my favorite Live 9 feature: Audio to MIDI. In the last tutorial, I demonstrated how to create beats using the Drum to MIDI function.

Result from Previous Tutorial

• Original Audio: Quite different from the result you can create.

Today's Focus: Harmony to MIDI

In this video, I want to show you how to use the Harmony to MIDI function creatively. We'll create a pad sound.

Step 1: Choose Your Audio File

• I've already chosen an audio file to save time.
• This is me playing the ukulele.
• Starting Point: I'm moving the start point to bar five, as that's where it begins.
• Duration: Four bars should be enough.

Step 2: Quick Playback

Let's quickly hear it.

• Change in Sound: A bit better and more complex.

Step 3: Convert Harmony to MIDI Track

To ensure the Harmony to MIDI function works well:

• Use only chords, no beats or vocals.
• If you can play an instrument, even if just a little, you can record that, perhaps warp it beforehand, and then quantize it.

Step 4: Default Sound and First Adjustments

By default, a grand piano sound is loaded, which you can change.

• Let's listen to the default sound:
  • Turn Off Other Sounds: Not really too exciting yet.

Step 5: Quantizing

The first thing I'm going to do is quantize it.

Choosing a New Instrument

Now we need to choose a different sound since grand piano doesn't fit well here.

• Suggested Sound:
  • Simpler pads work well for this.
  • Let's take the first pad sound.

Step 6: Playback Adjustments

Let's play it:

• Volume Adjustment: It's quite loud, so let's turn it down by 6 dB.
• Feedback: Sounds pretty good like that!

Step 7: Create Variations

To illustrate quick variations:

• Duplicate the Track: Make it an octave higher.
• Further Duplication: Let's duplicate the track again.

Step 8: Finalizing the Pad Sound

Now you already have a nice pad sound. You can thin it out if you like.

• Example of thinning it out: Remove some sounds to achieve the desired effect.

Coming Up Next

In the next tutorial, I'll show you how to use Melody to MIDI to get a starting point for a bass track.

Closing

See you next time! Bye!