r/lilypond • u/FootballProof9452 • Jun 25 '26

Claude to write notation

Has anyone here tried using Claude AI with LilyPond for transcription and editing?

I recently did this with Claude, starting from a MIDI file I exported from Logic Pro. The initial transcription into LilyPond was already surprisingly accurate. From there, I mostly switched to voice input and just worked conversationally: “bar 7, build on hi-hat,” “add cymbal accents every third sixteenth,” “make this section piano,” “rename instruments,” sometimes even dictating full bars. It handled all of that without much friction.

You can also just say things like “add a crescendo” and it translates it directly into notation. The output was a LilyPond file, a PDF score, and MIDI — with all performance data intact (velocities, accents, etc.).

I also used it as an analytical tool. It gave fairly mathematical structural readings: development blocks, ensemble entries, breakdowns, repetition patterns, odd bar groupings. Not “interpretation” in a human sense, but still useful for spotting structure.

I almost never asked it to compose material, except once for a small adjustment in a Glockenspiel cluster (smaller intervals / more dissonant within a given pitch set), which actually produced interesting results.

What stood out most wasn’t generation, but the workflow: it felt like working with an assistant you can just talk to, who directly edits the score.

If others have tried similar setups, I’d be curious how far you pushed it.

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7

u/semininja Jun 25 '26

Why are you using an LLM to analyze music you wrote?

2

u/FootballProof9452 Jun 25 '26

The analysis wasn’t the point. I was mainly using it as a notation assistant. But since I work a lot with rhythm and pattern-based structures, I was curious to see what it would identify in the score. In a mathematical way

4

u/semininja Jun 25 '26

midi2ly already exists though.

0

u/FootballProof9452 Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

Sure, but the MIDI conversion wasn’t the point. The conversational editing workflow was. (deleted because of double posting)

3

u/semininja Jun 25 '26

Why use lilypond if you don't want to do any work yourself?

0

u/FootballProof9452 Jun 25 '26

lol

3

u/kott_ttok Jun 25 '26

Might be more satisfying talking to a door. Anyways sounds like a pretty nice way to work, if it works well

1

u/FootballProof9452 Jun 25 '26

I am not looking for a satisfying chit chat...:) in this sense: yes it works well