Support
Audio to Sheet Music: Piano
Recording
How should I record?
- Put the phone on the music stand, 1–2 m from the strings.
- Use a quiet room: no talking, TV or other music.
- Go easy on the sustain pedal if you can. Long pedalled passages blur notes together.
- Watch the level meter. If it warns that the sound is clipping, move the phone further away; if it's too quiet, move it closer.
Which files can I import?
MP3, M4A and WAV. Other formats your iPhone can play (such as AIFF or FLAC) are converted first. Pieces can be up to 10 minutes long. You can also share a recording to the app from Voice Memos or Files.
Transcription
How long does it take?
Usually 1–5 minutes, occasionally longer when our server is busy. You can leave the app: allow notifications and you'll be told when the score is ready. If notifications are off, the app checks again when you open it.
It says it couldn't hear piano
The recording didn't contain enough piano to transcribe: it may be very quiet, mostly talking, or another instrument. Try again closer to the piano. A failed transcription doesn't use a free preview.
It says the server is busy
Too many pieces are being transcribed at once. Wait a minute and try again; nothing was used up.
Reading the score
The score is too busy to read
Switch to Simplify at the top of the score. It shows the melody with chord symbols, which is often easier to play from for dense or heavily pedalled pieces.
Some bar lines or rhythms look wrong
The app has to work out the beat from how you played. Steady playing gives the cleanest result; very free tempos (strong rubato) or syncopated styles such as ragtime can shift bar lines or produce awkward rhythms. Recording again with a steadier pulse often helps. To correct details, export MusicXML and edit it in a notation app such as MuseScore.
Why doesn't playback sound like my recording?
Playback plays the notes written in the score, not your recording, so you can hear what's on the page and follow the cursor. Use the tempo button to slow it down to 75% or 50% for practice.
Export
- PDF: print or share the score.
- MusicXML: open and edit it in notation apps such as MuseScore, Flat or Finale.
- MIDI: use it in a music app or DAW.
Export is part of Premium.
Free previews and Premium
What's free?
3 previews, each transcribing the first 30 seconds of a piece, with the score and playback. Failed transcriptions don't count.
What does Premium add?
Full pieces up to 10 minutes, and PDF, MIDI and MusicXML export, with no tokens or per-piece fees: $6.99 a month or $39.99 a year (7-day free trial on the annual plan). Premium includes up to 60 pieces a month.
How do I cancel or restore?
Cancel in iPhone Settings → your name → Subscriptions. Restore in the app's Settings → Restore purchases.
Your data
Recordings are deleted from our server once they're transcribed. To remove the finished scores we keep for 30 days, open Settings → Delete my uploads. Scores on your iPhone stay until you delete them there. See the privacy policy.
Contact
Email support@bulpara.com. If a score came out wrong, tell us the piece and how it was recorded.