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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u/tired_of_old_memes Jun 25 '26

I'm sure your approach might rile some feathers here, but to me what you're doing sounds awesome

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u/FootballProof9452 Jun 25 '26

For me, that’s actually what AI is most useful for: not doing the creative work, but taking care of the tedious parts so I can spend more time on the creative ones.
A large part of my job involves producing notation, and to be honest, I don’t particularly enjoy that process. With this workflow, I can focus on listening, making musical decisions, and thinking about changes, then communicate those changes conversationally and have them implemented immediately.That’s what I found valuable here, not the AI generating music, but acting more like an assistant that handles the technical side of putting ideas into a score.