How to Play MIDI Files

Users with Windows 8/10/11 will have problems playing MIDI files, since Microsoft axed support for that format. Fortunately, VLC media player can be quite painlessly configured to play them.

Download the "GM1_Roland.sf2" soundfont and save it to a location on your computer where you will not need to move it.

Run VLC media player and press CTRL+P to open the Preferences menu. At the bottom of the list, under "Show Settings", click the button next to "All". Click "Input/Codecs" and click the arrow next to "Audio codecs", then select "FluidSynth". In the blank for "SoundFont File", click "Browse..." and locate GM1_Roland.sf2, then select it and choose "OK". Uncheck the boxes next to "Chorus" and "Reverb".

In Firefox, click the ☰ button and select "Settings". Under "General", scroll down until you reach "Applications". Find "MIDI Sequence" in the applications list and click it. The default selection should show as "Save file". Click on "Save file" and choose VLC media player. If VLC is not shown, click "Use other...", then find VLC in the new window and select "OK".

Q: "Can I use other soundfonts instead of the wanky Windows 95 MIDI mapper?"
A: Yes. For best results, the soundfont should be a full GM/GS instrument canvas (i.e. GM1-compatible mapping [instrument 001 should be a Bright Grand Piano, not a tenor sackbut] with 128 standard instruments and 8 drum kits).

Q: "Can I use a device other than a computer to play MIDI files?"
A: VLC media player's Android version uses FluidSynth just like the PC version and can be configured with the same soundfont in the same way, but I can't say about other kinds of devices. I know iOS hasn't any native MIDI compatibility without expensive pro audio apps, so that's a problem.

BACK