Overview
Two very different philosophies for the same audio→MIDI conversion.
MidiCore Audio→MIDI Service
Recommended · Full platform- 4 pitch algorithms (YIN · pYIN · MPM · THRIVE)
- Optimised for voice · kazoo · disability (voice mode)
- Kalman tracker for perfect vibrato/portamento
- 60+ MIDI effects in chain
- 4-track MIDI looper built-in
- 8 hardware MIDI ports
- Standalone — no computer needed
- Open source · extensible
Sonuus i2M Musicport
Conversion only- 1 proprietary algorithm (undisclosed)
- Optimised for guitar · bass · violin
- Basic tracking (relies on DAW)
- No native MIDI effects
- No looper
- 1 USB port only
- Requires a computer
- Closed firmware
Detailed Feature Comparison
Feature by feature.
| Feature | MidiCore | Sonuus i2M |
|---|---|---|
| Pitch Detection | ||
| Algorithm(s) | YIN · pYIN · MPM · THRIVE (4 choices) | Proprietary, undisclosed |
| Compile-time selection | ✓ -DATM_ALGORITHM=… | ✗ |
| Octave error rate (voice) | Very low (THRIVE HES + Kalman) | Moderate (guitar-optimised) |
| Detection latency | < 2 ms (embedded, no OS stack) | < 3 ms (USB audio latency) |
| Frequency range | ~40 Hz – 1 333 Hz (E1 → D#6) | ~80 Hz – 1 000 Hz (guitar/bass) |
| Voice, Kazoo & Disability | ||
| Optimised voice mode | ✓ set_voice_mode(1) | ✗ |
| Vibrato tolerance | Configurable 0.1–3.0 semitones | Fixed, undocumented |
| Adaptive gate (irregular breath) | ✓ independent on/off threshold | Fixed threshold |
| Pitch smoothing (tremor) | ✓ 3-frame median (voice mode) | ✗ |
| Kalman filter (portamento) | ✓ THRIVE only | ✗ |
| Longer sustain (configurable release) | ✓ 4 frames normal / 6 voice | ✗ |
| MIDI Output | ||
| Note On / Note Off | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pitch Bend | ✓ range 1–12 semitones | ✓ |
| Velocity from amplitude | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transpose | ✓ ±24 semitones | ✓ ±1 octave |
| Scale quantisation | ✓ via quantizer module | ✓ |
| Configurable legato / retrigger | ✓ threshold parameter | Fixed |
| Polyphony | Mono (physical limit) | Mono |
| MIDI Ecosystem | ||
| MIDI effects chain | 60+ (arpeggio, harmoniser, delay…) | 0 (all in DAW) |
| MIDI looper | 4 tracks | ✗ |
| Hardware MIDI ports | 8 | 1 (USB only) |
| Multi-destination routing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Standalone use | ✓ no computer needed | ✗ requires PC/Mac |
| Technical & Openness | ||
| Microcontroller | STM32F407 (FPU, 168 MHz) | Undisclosed |
| Open source | ✓ | ✗ |
| Extensible / customisable | ✓ fully | ✗ |
| Handcrafted for each musician | ✓ artisanal | ✗ mass-produced |
| Accessibility (disability) | ✓ tremor stabilizer, adaptive gate | ✗ |
MidiCore's 4 Algorithms
All conditionally compiled — choose the one that fits your use case.
YIN
Standard · 2002Industry reference. Fast, reliable for guitar and harmonic instruments. Occasional octave errors on breathy voices.
pYIN-lite
Probabilistic · 2014Multi-candidate scoring + inter-frame continuity. Significantly reduces octave errors on voice and kazoo.
MPM / NSDF
McLeod · 2005Normalised Square Difference Function. Excellent for harmonic instruments. MINP-1 primer prevents false peaks for very low-frequency signals.
THRIVE ★
Novel · MidiCore3 original innovations:
1) Harmonic Evidence Scoring — checks d'(2τ), d'(3τ), d'(4τ) to eliminate octave errors
2) Confidence-adaptive 2D Kalman — optimal vibrato & portamento tracking
3) Kalman→Detector feedback — closed-loop prediction/detection
Use Cases
Who should use what?
Singer
Vibrato ±1 semitone, portamento between notes, soft attacks — the human voice is the hardest case for pitch detection.
MidiCore THRIVE + voice mode handles all of this natively. Sonuus is not designed for voice.
Kazoo (Music Therapy)
Ideal instrument for disabled musicians: just hum. Breath may be irregular, pitch imprecise.
The adaptive gate and 3-frame median filter prevent spurious notes. Sonuus has none of these features.
Guitar / Bass
Clear signal, strong attack, little expressive vibrato. Both solutions work well here. MidiCore adds 60+ MIDI effects, a looper, and no computer dependency.
Diatonic Accordion
MidiCore's flagship instrument. The audio→MIDI service can be combined with existing DIN/AINSER64 sensor configurations for a hybrid solution: buttons + melodic detection.
Motor / Vocal Disability
Tremors, irregular breath, imprecise pitch control — MidiCore is designed with these cases in mind. Tremor stabilizer, adaptive gate, long sustain, wide vibrato tolerance.
Prototype / Research
4 compile-time algorithms, open source, embedded STM32. Ideal for comparing algorithms or developing new pitch detection features.
Let’s talk about your instrument
Every MidiCore installation is designed case by case, around the instrument, the playing style and the musician’s needs. Write to us and we will come back with a tailored proposal.