Spectrum Computing

It's a truly newbie question.

Is it possible to convert to Spectrum sound files (like AY ones) not to WAV or stuff, but to MIDI, to make tabs from them?

I know that ZX Tune allows to convert all of this formats to WAV. But if I understand the docs right, AY file works like MIDI one - it sends notes and length (encoded tricky way) to AY-3-8910 chipset. So it could be possible to create a multi-track midi file from AY one.

But I didn't find any software that provides such a service. But maybe I just understand wrong the idea behind AY file format? Can my idea work, or AY files are working same way like WAV ones?

It depends on how complex your chosen music is. The AY chip doesn't deal with notes, only a series of pitch/volume updates, so proper conversion will be non-trivial. However, .AY files usually contain raw note data, which may be simpler to extract for MIDI conversion. Do you have any examples in mind?

The Ableton Live DAW (Mac and PC) has an audio to MIDI function which works quite well for certain material, though (predictably) in my experience, the denser and more complex the audio the less accurate the results can be. However, any output can certainly be cleaned up by hand afterwards. Perhaps if you'd like to message me with an example WAV of decent quality I'd happily give it a go for you, see what the results are like. It's quite expensive software to buy, and I'm pretty sure the free version doesn't include that functionality.

It would be easier to transcribe AY music by ear.

Thank to everybody. I've learned a lot today.

It's main theme from my favorite game from my childhood - Soldier of Fortune. It was released in the same year I was born

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rgv5fubjx4vyf ... e.wav?dl=0

I think world needs tabs for awesome riff from its main theme.

That’s not AY music, though; just the good-old beeper. It’s a simple single-note melody, so I quickly made a MIDI file of it for you.

By the way, I have a bug-fixed version of the game, in case you’re interested (see the link in my signature). It’s a good game, I agree.

Thank you a lot. It was a late USSR clone of ZX (https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALF_TV_Game). It was even in another country Now I don't have even ZX at home, can use only online emilator.

I checked your perfect midi and even posted in to Ultimate Guitar. Hope it will inspire musicians for more great riffs and melodies.

Ast A. Moore wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 2:13 pm It would be easier to transcribe AY music by ear.

Not everyone is that musical, are they? Else OP would have already have done so.