When tackling a complex piece of music, your ears and eyes are your most valuable tools. But sometimes, you just need to put your hands on the keys to confirm what you’re hearing. Whether you are working on a detailed piano transcription or just trying to figure out a tricky chord progression, having immediate physical feedback is essential.
That is why we are thrilled to introduce native MIDI keyboard support to DefTune. By bridging the gap between your physical instrument and our browser-based music transcription program, we are making it easier than ever to analyze and figure out your favorite tracks.
How MIDI Changes the Game
For many musicians, the goal is to create sheet music from audio or simply learn a song to play along with friends. Our powerful visualizer already provides deep song analysis by illuminating the tonal core of a track (while carefully minimizing percussion so you can focus on the harmony). However, visual feedback alone is sometimes not enough.
With our new MIDI integration, you can connect your electronic keyboard or MIDI controller directly to DefTune via USB. Click the new Connect MIDI toggle in the control panel, and your physical keyboard becomes an extension of the app.
When you press a key, you will not only hear DefTune’s high-quality internal acoustic piano sampler, but you will also see the corresponding keys instantly highlight on the virtual piano keyboard on your screen.
The Ultimate “Check Your Work” Tool
This feature transforms DefTune into an even more interactive software to transcribe audio. Here is how to use it in your workflow:
- Slow it down: Use our playback controls to slow down audio without losing pitch accuracy.
- Loop the tricky part: Hone in on a specific phrase and play loops repeatedly.
- Test your theories: Use your MIDI keyboard to play what you think the chord is alongside the recording. The visualizer and virtual piano will help you confirm if your voicing matches the music waveform.
This combination of tools allows you to write sheet music online with much greater confidence. Instead of guessing, you can actively test and verify every note.
Built for Every Musician
We designed this feature to be completely unobtrusive for those who prefer to transcribe by ear or mouse alone. But for players who think through their fingers, this makes DefTune an incredibly powerful transcribe software free from the complexities of massive studio workstations.
Whether you need to transcribe audio for a gig, analyze a dense jazz solo, or just want to jam along, connecting your MIDI keyboard allows you to get closer to the music.
Note: The Web MIDI API is currently only supported on Chromium-based browsers (like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Brave). The “Connect MIDI” button will automatically hide itself if you are using an unsupported browser like Safari.
Plug in, hit “Connect MIDI”, and let your hands guide your transcription.