Help with making a midi file from a full score

[3kidsandahorse]

Hello. I've spent some time browsing the Internet for some answers. I'm music illiterate so I can't read, write, or compose music in any way. I purchased a 30 note music box which will go into a box I'm making as a gift for my mother. I didn't like the songs already available in the traditional mechanisms so I opted for the DIY type with paper strips. I then found the MBC App which was a great find! Glad there's an app for that
My problem is that I still have no idea how to get the song I had in mind into a MIDI file for the App. After reading you could import and export midi files I went on a search to find out what a midi file was. I'm also term or code illiterate now that Ive educated myself a bit more on the term "midi", I spent additional time and money on finding a way to convert an MP3 into a midi file. I've purchased apps for converting songs into cords which was a waste as it won't convert the whole thing unless I upgrade to pro and since what it it convert Im still unable to read, it makes the app useless to me. There are several other apps I purchased in an effort to help but none that will actually convert cords into notes I can understand or ultimately into a midi file.
I could really use some help. I've contacted the composers to ask permission for the use of their song and they replied with:
"All our media is Creative Commons CC-BY-SA licensed, so you're free to use it for whatever projects you wish, as long as those projects are similarly licensed.

Here's the score for the piece, which should help with your transcription:"
http://www.clockworkquartet.com/assets/ ... _Score.pdf

Does anyone know how to make this a midi file? Would anyone be willing to post a link for this song on the library? Can anyone tell me how the letters on the music box paper correspond with the notes on a full score? What do the letters mean? As you can see, I'm really in need of some help here. I have no exipment for midi conversion, and I'm completely useless regarding computers, software, and anything else that would probably be easy for people who do have what's needed or are computer savvy but I sadly am not. Please, please, please. Is anyone out there willing to help me? Thanks for any advise!

[AlexD]

I took a listen to the sound clip on YouTube and I expect that one might give you a bit of trouble since it's mostly vocals with some instrumental chords in it. Also, it's a 5+ minute duration song. There are some methods of taking an audio file and changing into a midi, though not so many are all that exacting to have something playable at the end. A free method it to take the mp3 file and convert to a WAV file using something like Audacity (free program) and then convert the wave into a MIDI file using AmazingMIDI (another free program), however it may or may not again provide something that resembles the original in sound.

Was there any specific section of the song you were looking to make as a music strip?

[3kidsandahorse]

Hi!
Forgot to check the box that would notify me of a posted reply so please forgive me for getting back to you late. Thanks so much for looking into this. I forgot to mention that aside from the full score, I had saved and downloaded an MP3 music box version. Never thought I'd find one but I did. Tried contacting the original poster to that song but i never heard back. Someone took that song and made a music box version. There was no additional info so I'm not even sure weather it truly was made from a machanicle one or done on a computer. I tried pasting the link to the saved file but can't get it to post. Hoping another method does. Please let me know if it worked and you were able to hear it. Thanks again....oh, the MP3 version is 1 min 40 seconds long. Still better then almost 5, right
Keeping my fingers crossed you find a way to help me out.

Music box version
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rzfpw7vth7v8 ... wTsAa?dl=0

[AlexD]

That clip is a definite improvement, still looks like it will need some adjustments here and there after converting it over to a midi. I'll see if I can't fix something up on it over the weekend if time permits, will keep you posted either way.

[3kidsandahorse]

couldn't believe it when I found it! What are the odds of finding THAT song as a music box version. Copied to an MP3 and went about trying to convert to a midi. Obviously that just didn't happen and wasn't because of lack of trying. My last ditch effort was to post here and see if someone could help. I meant to post that link with the other in my original post but it slipped my mind. Anyway, I'm truly thankful for your efforts. Even getting back to me and listening to both versions is more then others had done so thank you so much!

[Olificus]

Seems I'm rather late to this discussion, but for my music I rewrite or compose it all together in the program Musescore. It has the ability to convert sheet music to midi files.