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How to Convert Audio to MIDI in Ableton Live, Logic Pro and FL Studio

Published 2026-09-27

Most DAWs can already turn a recording into MIDI notes. The built-in tools are quick when the audio is a single, clear melody, and they struggle with chords and full mixes. Below are the exact menu steps for Ableton Live, Logic Pro and FL Studio, taken from each program's official manual, plus what to do when the result is not good enough.

Before you convert: three things that matter more than the tool

  • One instrument at a time. A solo piano, a guitar lead or a sung melody converts far better than a full mix. If you only have the full song, split it into stems first.
  • Dry and clean. Reverb, delay and distortion smear pitches and create extra notes. Convert the dry take if you have one.
  • Set the project tempo first. The notes keep their timing either way, but a matching tempo makes the bars line up so quantizing and editing are easier.

Audio to MIDI in Ableton Live

Live has four commands for this, found in the context menu of an audio clip (the Ableton Reference Manual covers them in the chapter "Converting Audio to MIDI"):

  1. Right-click (or Ctrl-click on a Mac) the audio clip in Session or Arrangement View.
  2. Choose Convert Melody to New MIDI Track for a single-note part such as a vocal, a whistle or a guitar solo.
  3. Choose Convert Harmony to New MIDI Track for chords from piano or guitar.
  4. Choose Convert Drums to New MIDI Track for beats; Live tries to sort hits into kick, snare and hi-hat.

Live creates a new MIDI track with a preview instrument. If notes start in the wrong place, adjust the transient markers on the audio clip and convert again. Slice to New MIDI Track is different: it chops the audio into samples on a Drum Rack instead of detecting notes.

Audio to MIDI in Logic Pro (Flex Pitch)

Logic creates MIDI from audio through Flex Pitch. Apple's guide notes that it works best with monophonic material, and that chords may be misread. The same command is in older versions sold as Logic Pro X.

  1. Double-click the audio region to open the Audio Track Editor.
  2. Click the Show/Hide Flex button in the editor's menu bar.
  3. Choose Flex Pitch from the Flex Mode pop-up menu.
  4. Fix any obviously wrong pitches or timing in the audio first.
  5. Choose Edit > Create MIDI Track from Flex Pitch Data. A new instrument track appears below the audio track.
  6. Pick a patch for the new track in the Library, then clean up the notes in the Piano Roll.

Audio to MIDI in FL Studio (Edison)

FL Studio does it in Edison, its audio editor. The FL Studio manual describes the command as one that slices the sample, detects the pitch of each slice and sends the notes to the Piano roll.

  1. Load the audio into Edison, FL Studio's audio editor.
  2. Open Edison's Tools menu (the wrench icon).
  3. Choose Convert to score and dump to piano roll, then open the Piano roll of the channel you want to use.

Expect to delete stray notes; Edison works best on clean single-note material.

When the built-in result is not good enough

The DAW commands are designed for quick sketches. When you need chords from piano or guitar, want to hear the MIDI before committing, or do not have one of these DAWs, a dedicated converter helps:

  • MidiSnap's MP3 to MIDI converter runs in your browser. Drop in the file, pick piano, guitar or voice, compare the MIDI with the original, then slide between fewer and more notes until the stray notes are gone.
  • In our tests on real recordings, clear solo piano and single-note instruments came out about 9 in 10 notes right, strummed guitar about 8 in 10, and singing about 6 in 10.
  • Set the tempo before you download; it is written into the MIDI file so the notes land on your DAW's bars.
  • If you would rather stay inside your DAW, a free audio to MIDI plugin such as NeuralNote (VST3 / AU, open source) converts on a track in your project. Our comparison of free converters covers what each option gives you.

Cleaning up converted MIDI

  • Delete ghost notes first: very short, quiet notes an octave above real notes are usually overtones.
  • Quantize gently: 50–75% keeps the feel while pulling notes toward the grid.
  • Check the lowest octave: bass notes are sometimes detected an octave too high or too low.
  • Need notation? Open the MIDI in MIDI to Sheet Music to print it or export MusicXML.