Band recording to sheet musicDrum sheet music from audio
Drum sheet music from audio on a percussion staff
Upload a song or a drum recording, or paste a video link. ScoreStarling writes the drums on a percussion staff of their own, with a MIDI track and a part to print.
Drop a song or a drum recording here
MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG, AIFF or a video, up to 95 MB, or a link from YouTube, Bilibili and 17 other sites. Choose Band or several instruments and keep drums in the list; the price shows before anything starts.
ScoreStarling writes the drums of a song or a drum recording on a percussion staff of their own, with a MIDI track and a part to print. It uses 30 credits a minute of music, shown before it starts, after a free 30-second preview.
What goes in and what comes out
You bring
- A song, a rehearsal or a drum take: MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG or AIFF
- A video file, or a link from YouTube, Bilibili, TikTok, SoundCloud and other sites
- Up to six minutes of music; a longer recording keeps its first six
You get
- The drums on a percussion staff, in the full score
- A drum part to print, as a PDF
- A MIDI track and MusicXML of the drums, with Plus or a credit pack
- MP3 or WAV of the score, to play along with
How it works
- Choose the recording or paste the link above. The workspace opens with it, after sign-in if needed.
- Choose Band or several instruments. ScoreStarling suggests the instruments it hears; keep drums, and remove the others if you only want the drums.
- Check the price in credits and agree. The score opens when it is ready.
- Play the score beside the recording, then download the drum part.
What it costs
| Recording | Credits | Covered by |
|---|---|---|
| A three-minute song | 90 | The 100 free credits each month in 2026 |
| Six minutes, the longest piece | 180 | A 200-credit pack ($4.99) |
Drums are priced like the rest of a band, because they are transcribed with it. Every band piece starts with a free 30-second preview, then the whole piece is priced.
What gives a good result
- A clear kit in the mix, with the drums audible over the other instruments. A drum-only take is the easiest case.
- Listen to the drum part against the recording before you hand it out; a dense fill or a busy cymbal pattern is where mistakes show up first.
- For a piece longer than six minutes, cut the recording at a bar line and transcribe each half.
Good to know
- The score is a first draft. Check it before you play from it.
- Drum notes can’t be edited one by one yet. Correct them in MuseScore, Dorico or Sibelius from the MusicXML.
- Jianpu and guitar TAB leave the drums out.
- The first six minutes are written out, for every account.
Looking at other tools? ScoreStarling and Klangio compared covers drums. To write out every instrument, see band recording to sheet music.
Questions and answers
Can ScoreStarling transcribe drums from audio?
Yes. Choose Band or several instruments and keep drums in the instrument list. The drums come out on their own percussion staff, with their own MIDI track and a part to print.
Does it work on a drum-only recording?
Yes. Choose Band or several instruments and keep only drums. A full song works too: the drums are written out beside the other instruments you keep.
How much do drums cost?
Drums are part of a band transcription: 30 credits a minute, counted in 10-second steps, so a three-minute song is 90 credits. The exact price shows before it starts, nothing is spent until you agree, and a failed transcription returns the credits. See pricing.
Can I edit the drum notes?
Not note by note yet. You can listen to the drums beside the recording, and open the MusicXML in MuseScore, Dorico or Sibelius to correct them there, with Plus or a credit pack.
Are drums in the jianpu or guitar TAB?
No. Jianpu and TAB leave the drums out; they stay on the percussion staff of the staff-notation score.
What if I already have a MIDI file with drums?
Upload it. A MIDI file’s drum tracks are written onto a drum staff beside the pitched parts. See MIDI to sheet music.
Can I use a YouTube or Bilibili video?
Yes. Paste the link and only the sound is used. Private, members-only and DRM-protected videos can’t be fetched; download the video and drop the file in instead.