Acoustic piano or existing phone recording
Use the voice-memo workflow below. The recording should contain solo piano or be strongly piano-focused.
Phone piano recording → editable MIDI
How to turn a piano voice memo into MIDI
You do not need a MIDI keyboard to preserve an acoustic-piano idea. Record a short, clear solo-piano take on your phone, export the original audio file, then convert it into MIDI notes you can inspect, download, and edit.
Convert a piano voice memo No sign-in is required to start. Guests receive five free conversion minutes each month across up to three jobs.First check whether you can record MIDI directly
The audio route is useful for an acoustic piano, an old recording, or a keyboard session where no MIDI was captured. If your digital piano can send USB or Bluetooth MIDI, direct MIDI recording avoids audio transcription and should be your first choice.
Digital piano with MIDI output
Record MIDI directly when possible. Use audio-to-MIDI only when you have audio but no original MIDI performance data.
Make a phone recording that is easier to transcribe
Transcription begins with the signal reaching the phone. A quiet, unclipped take gives the converter a better starting point than a loud recording with distortion or speech.
Use solo piano
Stop backing tracks, metronome audio, conversation, television, and other instruments. MeluMimi does not separate piano from a full mix.
Keep the phone off the piano
Start with the phone on a stable surface roughly one to two metres away, not on a vibrating lid or music desk. Move it if the sound is boomy, harsh, or too quiet.
Test the loudest passage
Record ten to twenty seconds that includes the loudest chord. Replay it through headphones and listen for crackle, flattened attacks, or obvious room noise before recording more.
Keep the first test short
A short passage makes it faster to compare the source and MIDI, adjust phone position, and retry before processing a full performance.
From voice memo to downloadable MIDI
1. Record and replay the take
Use the phone's recorder or MeluMimi's browser microphone option. Replay the take and confirm the piano is clear, not clipped, and not covered by speech or another instrument.
2. Export the original audio file
Choose Share, Save to Files, or the recorder's file-export option. Send the actual audio file rather than a screen recording or a social-media copy that may add another compression pass.
3. Upload and choose sustain behavior
MeluMimi accepts common phone formats including M4A, AAC, MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, and WEBM. Choose With sustain for a pedal performance or Without sustain for shorter note boundaries.
4. Preview, compare, and download
Inspect the piano roll and listen to the MIDI preview against the source. Download the .mid file, then check notes, timing, velocity, and sustain in your DAW or MIDI editor.
Keep the original file when you move it off the phone
An iPhone Voice Memos recording can be shared as an M4A file, which MeluMimi accepts. Android recorder apps vary, so choose an audio-file export when available. Avoid turning the recording into a video merely to transfer it, and keep the untouched original for comparison.
Official phone-recorder sharing instructions
MP3 → MIDI
Hear a real source and inspect the actual MIDI
This transparent 15-second piano example is not presented as a phone-placement test. It shows the next part of the workflow: the source recording and the actual 191-note MIDI produced in one MeluMimi run, with no reference MIDI substituted.
Phone piano recording questions
Can I upload an iPhone Voice Memos M4A file?
Yes. M4A and AAC are supported, along with MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, and WEBM audio.
Can I record directly on the website?
Yes, when the browser grants microphone permission. Saving a recorder-app file first can still be useful because it leaves you with an original take you can replay, move, and compare.
Will a phone recording be as accurate as direct MIDI?
Direct MIDI captures key events without audio transcription and is preferable when your instrument provides it. Phone audio quality, room echo, noise, and performance complexity can all affect transcription.
Can it extract piano from a song playing in the room?
No. Use solo piano or piano-focused audio. MeluMimi does not separate piano from vocals, drums, guitars, or a full mix.
Should I send the recording through a messaging app first?
Prefer the recorder's original file or file-sharing option. Some messaging and social apps may recompress audio, so compare the transferred file before converting it.
Start with a ten-to-twenty-second take
Record one clear passage, convert it, and compare the source with the MIDI before processing a longer performance. That small loop is the fastest way to improve both recording placement and the usefulness of the result.