Freesound Forums

I am a layman in music production, but I often sing little songs, some of which are improvised funny combinations that I have never heard before, and I would love to record them in a "formal way", but I have tried and failed.
I'm waiting for an app or a feature that can recognize and turn recordings into regular sheet music, edit them multiple times, mix them across genres, save and read files, and play (sing) the parts you want in real time on different instruments or even a cappella.
I think it's a tough and great job.Hats off to the challenger.

I see multiple things to this.
1) How to record formally
2) How to transform vocal melodies to "note"/midi data.
3) And of course a way to play it back, either from midi or from the vocal itself in a neatly organised way.

1) Most music format these days will do. WAV/FLAC 48khz 24bit is largely sufficient format and probably won't be the bottleneck. If you find a good microphone and room with decent acoustics that should be the easy part. Cheapest way to get started would be your phone, it could probably record good enough audio for a software to extract midi from, or a 60€ zoom h1n. Then upgrades like a 100€ soundcard and a microphone you like your voice to. Vocal booth/acoustic treatment.

2) There's a few things that can do that already. Not sure which exactly but most "autotune" softwares can recognise the pitch sang. I'm sure there's an easy way to convert that to midi.
Ableton live has a "convert to midi track" probably works with vocals.
Those midi notes could go in either a sampler or any synth with any sound you want. Could make it all dog barks or trumpets or angelic pads.
There's even a product by Vochlea made to do this, though I suspect there's free alternatives.
Have a look here https://youtu.be/NOrlWRzGpG0?si=PbRxHC55m7eNqm70

3) I'm not aware of any current all in one package.
But a DAW and a project per "improvised little song" is probably how to do it currently.
It will be easy to have the original recorded vocal. The midi (note data) layer, duplicate those per instrument you're interested in. You can export those midi data to send to someone or keep them in a library. Solo what ever you want (normal audio take, instruments etc...)
And of course save and re-read them from the daw, or the midi files or a exported song.

That Vochlea seems to do it in real time if that's a must. Not aware of what does it in real time for free, but there surly is something out there.

Have fun and good luck in your projects

Thanks. I'll check it out or try it on.