Muse

Overview

Muse is an open-source desktop app that turns recorded or uploaded audio into MIDI, with separate workflows for solo piano and multi-instrument tracks. It suits musicians who want a local tool for shaping audio into editable notes; its free price and three-platform builds are appealing, but setup involves a substantial model download and piano results can suffer on sounds unlike a concert grand.

Key features

Piano and multi-instrument transcription

The piano workflow isolates piano from a mix, transcribes its notes, and separates them between left and right hands. That makes Muse a focused option for turning piano recordings into MIDI, though its accuracy can decline with synth piano, electric piano, or other sounds that differ from a concert grand.

For broader arrangements, multi-instrument mode transcribes up to 13 tracks in one pass without source separation. This can save a separate stem-separation step, but CPU inference is estimated at roughly two minutes for every 30 seconds of audio; GPU acceleration via CUDA or Apple Silicon MPS can make a significant difference.

Audio, playback, and processing

Users can record through a microphone or import MP3, WAV, OGG, and FLAC files. Built-in playback uses a grand-piano synth, with mute and solo controls for individual tracks. Processing runs locally, and the maker says audio never leaves the user's machine—a meaningful fit for people who prefer not to send recordings to a remote service.

Muse currently outputs MIDI; MusicXML export is on the roadmap rather than an available output. The repository provides an MIT license, making the software open-source.

Pricing

Muse — free. The free plan is open-source and includes MIDI output. It is the straightforward choice for anyone comfortable setting up desktop software and working with MIDI. There is no paid tier to trade against a cheaper plan, but the free price does not remove the setup cost: Muse requires Python 3.10 or later and downloads about 3 GB of machine-learning models on first run.

Platforms

Muse is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Repository builds cover Windows, macOS on Apple Silicon and Intel, and Linux Debian/Ubuntu and AppImage. GPU acceleration is supported for CUDA and Apple Silicon MPS; CPU use remains possible, though the maker's estimated multi-instrument processing time is a consideration for longer recordings.

Who it's for

Muse is best suited to musicians who want free, local audio-to-MIDI conversion, especially piano players working from concert-grand-like recordings or users converting arrangements into as many as 13 tracks. It is less suitable when the source is a synth or electric piano and accuracy is central, when a machine cannot accommodate the model download, or when notation export is required now.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free and open-source, with an MIT license and builds across three desktop operating systems.
• Pros: Offers both piano-specific transcription with left/right-hand splits and multi-instrument transcription for up to 13 tracks.
• Pros: Local processing keeps audio on the user's machine, according to the maker.
• Cons: First-run setup requires Python 3.10 or later and about 3 GB of model downloads.
• Cons: Multi-instrument CPU inference is estimated at about two minutes per 30 seconds of audio, making GPU support consequential for larger jobs.
• Cons: Piano accuracy can decline on synth piano, electric piano, and other non-concert-grand sounds; MusicXML export is not available now.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of transcription-focused tools, see AI Audio-to-MIDI Software. Readers comparing software for other music-making needs can browse AI Music Generators. For video lip-sync tools rather than audio-to-MIDI, VEED offers a free plan with 720p exports and a watermark, while its Creator plan removes the watermark and supports exports up to 1080p.

SadTalker is a free, offline, open-source option for lip sync, with builds for Linux, macOS, self-hosted use, and Windows. CHAMELAION LipSync API may suit API or web workflows: its free Starter tier includes 24,000 tokens, enough for two minutes of video translation and lip sync, with a watermark and no credit card requirement.

LipDub has a free Seed tier for one minute of 1080p AI dubbing, voice cloning, and lip sync, with a watermark. lipsyn.cc offers a five-second free preview, while its Quick Take plan is a one-time purchase. For a web-based video tool, Morph Studio has a free plan with 75 monthly credits and 90-day asset retention. Rendley has a no-card, no-time-limit free tier. Sync Labs offers a free tier with three generations per month, each up to 20 seconds.

Verdict

Choose Muse if you want free, local audio-to-MIDI conversion on a desktop, particularly for piano or multi-track work and can accommodate its model download. Its combination of hand-split piano transcription and up-to-13-track mode is the main reason to choose it; look elsewhere if your piano source is unlike a concert grand or you need MusicXML export.