What is Tone Transfer?
Tone Transfer lets you turn any sound into an instrument. Record yourself humming, singing or whistling, or pick one of the example clips, then choose an instrument and hear the same melody played back as a violin, flute, trumpet or saxophone.
It was released in October 2020 after a year-long collaboration between two Google Research teams, Magenta and AIUX. It is built on DDSP (Differentiable Digital Signal Processing), which Magenta open-sourced earlier that year, and the models run right in your browser with TensorFlow.js. Music tech sites like 9to5Google and RouteNote covered it, and it is still one of the easiest ways to hear what audio machine learning can do.
What You Can Do
- Record your own voice or any sound
- Turn it into violin, flute, trumpet or saxophone
- Try the built-in example sounds
- Compare the original and transformed clips
- Runs in your browser with no install
How to Play Tone Transfer
- Open Tone Transfer and allow microphone access if you want to record.
- Pick an example sound or record a short clip of your own.
- Choose an instrument to transform it into.
- Play the result and try other instruments.
Is Tone Transfer Free?
Tone Transfer is a free Google Research demo with no login or payment.
Who Will Enjoy It?
- Musicians who want to hear a hummed idea on a real instrument
- Singers and beatboxers looking for a fun experiment
- Students learning about AI and audio
- Anyone who wishes they could play the sax
Websites Like Tone Transfer
- Paint With Music: Uses the same DDSP technology to turn painting into music.
- Instrument Playground: Another Google AI tool for hearing instruments from around the world.
- A.I. Duet: Play notes and let a neural network respond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tone Transfer free?
Yes. It is a free Google Research demo that runs in your browser.
What instruments can Tone Transfer make?
Violin, flute, trumpet and saxophone.
Who made Tone Transfer?
Google Research's Magenta and AIUX teams, released in October 2020.