Where can you get help on the web on transcribing music into different keys?
Dear MS.
For scoring music, I use a programme called Scorewriter, produced by Cakewalk (there are others, eg. Finale … this is simply the one that fell into my lap unbidden). You can go to the site and download it (you’ll have to pay for it I think - can’t recall if there is a downloadable trial version):
Once you have entered your notes in one key, you can transpose the entire song into any key that suits you. The documentation for this programme suffers from scantiness, but if you decide on this route, I’d be happy to help.
FE
Another is noteworthy composer.
the only 'restriction' is in the number of saves available, per piece, in the shareware.
I use this program to import midi format to try and learn new pieces, plus also input from O'Neill's to hear how a piece may sound.
This has fantastic support via a private newsgroup, plus forums.
[ This Message was edited by: PhilM on 2001-06-30 20:25 ]
I am also a NoteWorthy Composer user. It is a wonderful program. One way around the limit on saves in the unregistered version is that after the last save you can cut and paste to a new file. If you use this program I highly recommend that you become familiar with the keyboard shortcuts. It saves a great deal of time. If you have an interest in transposing tunes into different keys it is a snap with NoteWorthy. You can even transpose to one key but have it play back in another. This can be useful if you read well for your D/G fingering but need to play back on a different whistle, say an A or a Bb. Also the cost of registering NoteWorthy Composer is substantially less than buying some more powerful and more complicated program like Finale.
I’m a Melody Assistant user.
The following is a post I made a few months ago regarding Midi conversions.
Midi files can be separated into 2 types. Computer generated and Instrument generated.
Computer generated midi are programed by a piece of software and some type of score. Instrument generated are created by someone playing an instrument (often a key board) through a midi interface.
Melody Assistant translates both. The Computer generated stuff comes out almost perfect with very little, if any, clean up neccessary. The instrument generated stuff come out a little verbose. It translate what is played almost exactly, including little pauses and rests the player may be putting into his performance.
When I converted ‘Gift of a Thistle’ it was from an instrument generated midi. It gave me 5 or 6 melody lines 2 harmony lines and 2 percussion lines. It included a lot of minor rests where the person playing the midi instrument was not exactly on beat. But it did identify 2 bag pipe lines, a flute/whistle line, and 2 string lines.
The midi file I was using passed the melody between all these voices.
Clean up was easy because, after I made a change, I could alway replay the score by just pressing the play button. The play button, plays a midi (computer generated version) sound file of the score as it is now written. This feature is also good when trying to transcribe something by ear.
Another thing Myriad (makers of MA) is good at is upgrades. I’ve had my software for 3 months and gone through 2 upgrades. Each added or improved something on the product. The most recent upgrade allows you to not only print the score but you can now export the score in graphic format. It has always imported and exported in ABC format. The graphic format selection is limited to BMP but my Adobe Photoshop quickly converted the BMP to a GIF file so I could send it to a friend. Both upgrade were painless, no errors, no blow ups, not even any reboots required.
When I was looking for an inexpensive notation software package I looked at a number of software programs including Noteworthy Composer. At the time Melody Assistant was much better and gave me much more control. It’s intutive and pretty well supported through the website.
I have been suprised how persistant Myriad has been about adding needed features. it was allready more robust than Noteworthy, and Myriad just keeps making it better.
Once I get my scanner fixed I plan to get their OSR (optical score recognition) package that will let me scan standard notation into the Melody assistant. ( OSR is Like an OCR but for music notes instead of test characters.) I can then add harmony lines, custom chord acompanyments, etc. with the result of have group arrangements of some of my favorite tunes.
I keep planning on writting a full blown review of this package to send to Dale to add to the sight. But I keep putting off and generateing these little mini reviews.
Hope this answers your question about MA and its midi conversion.
And no, I am not a Myriad representative, I just really like their software, I think for 15 bucks, It can’t be beat.
Here’s a link to their site Myriad](http://www.myriad-online.com/%3EMyriad) - Melody Assitant
Hope this helps and …
I feel that useful and thoughtful answers and the courtesy that attends them will make these forums a wonderful place.
I hope, mysusato, that you found these answers to your question worthwhile and that you will lets us know this publicly by thanking the posters here (rather than via PMs, which is what I suspect you have done).
I agree with Tal. After all, it’s been six years! Some small thanks are in order! 
Along the lines of this thread, is there a program that can take a song, like off a cd, if copied onto your hard drive, and transcribe it?
pastorkeith
This has to be one of the oldest threads I’ve ever seen drug from the depths of the C&F archives. Wow!! 
Pastorkeith, I don’t know about about music from a CD, but Noteworthy Composer and Finale’s PrintMusic (and maybe the Finale’s free Notepad, not sure on that) can transcribe a midi into standard music notation. You can get some strange notes that need a bit of adjustment, but it’s fun. One problem, the more complex the midi, the more complex the score.
Loath as I am to keep up ancient threads, I believe you’ll find
that most slowdowner software will also adjust pitch. Look at
The Amazing Slow Downer
Best Practice
Audacity
The first two will play directly off a CD, and have an easier
interface. Audacity is a full audio editing tool.