Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 09:44 PM

http://falcosoft.hu/softwares.html

https://ariamaestosa.github.io/ariamaestosa/docs/index.html


and my favorite is Van Basco's Midi/Karaoke player

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 08:54 PM

It's a long time since I used one,
but I'd start by googling "free software general midi player"...

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 06:17 PM

As far as I can see Windows (I've found references from 98 to Win 10) should come with a software synth, GS WaveTable Synth.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 06:01 PM

On second thought, some browsers may well use a more direct way to the sound devices than via the default player software. If we are out of luck, they choose the wrong device without allowing us to change the configuration. Reports would be appreciated.

I for one don't want my browser to play music anyway, so I save it to a file, which I can then play whenever I want.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 05:41 PM

MIDI files as such will be with us for the rest of our lives, and therefore supported by all serious computer systems. (Smartphones are a different type of device in terms of "ideology", not of capacity – the very idea of a "file" is declared old-fashioned there, in order to give the "app" providers more power over the device.) Shortcomings are well-known and a new format for the same purpose has been overdue for decades, but has yet to be agreed upon.

The reason for having an external MIDI chip (on the "sound card") is only about system performance, not per se about quality.

Browsers don't make music. If they receive a file, they will perform the action their user configured them to do, depending on the declared file type: either save them to a permanent file on the hard disk, or to a temporary one and have your OS "open" it immediately after download (as if the file icon were double-clicked). The OS in turn must be told what "open" means, i.e. which software to pass it to. This MIDI player software in turn must be told what "device" to send the individual MIDI commands to - often several are available: built-in hardware, a pertinent USB device, software synth, etc. All these settings will come with defaults chosen by the software at installation time; change them if you disagree.

Joe, please tell us what kind of problems your recipients report.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: Helen
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 05:31 PM

Well, as an ex-librarian, my work here is done!! At least I used my librarianly questioning techniques to find out more detailed information about the enquiry so that other more tech-savvy people could talk geek-speak more confidently than I can.

:-D

In other words, I'll leave it to the experts. All I know is that when I tried to use Chrome I had all sorts of issues and Hubby, who is a qualified geek, doesn't use it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 05:16 PM

Great, thanks - I'll have to explore Garageband, which I've managed to never use. And it's nice to "see" you again!

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: Pete MacGregor
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 05:14 PM

Hi Bonnie. MIDI files should load and play OK in Garageband which comes with Mac OS
All the best.
PM

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 05:13 PM

Joe,there are both software and hardware synths.

I've not bought a sound card in years but can use the sound cards built into PC motherboards. There is nothing built in to any of the computers here that could play MIDI and my guess is that it would be unusual to find something on that line that did.

My desktop is connected via an old Edirol UM 2 to a Yamaha keyboard and that "just works" with Linux.

The other alternative I have it to install a software synth. FluidSynth is one but I use Timidity. Setting this up on OpenSuse (some other Linux may be a bit more friendly) was still a bit messy last time I looked as you need to find a SoundFont (Merlin Gold is a possibility) to get from something like just piano and drum to a range of instruments and passible sound and some file to map the instruments. It can be done and is done but it's not something I'd think every user would want to do.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 05:00 PM

I use very old Macs which have no problem.

iOS seems incapable of playing MIDI or QuickTime files.

Facebook is incapable of playing any kind of audio whatever.

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 04:53 PM

Well, I wasn't actually asking about the software end, because I know that (except for Macs, Bonnie).
A while ago, Google Chrome stopped playing MIDI. I have to download MIDI files, and then play them with MIDI software (usually I use Windows Media Player). My Chromebook can download MIDI files, but won't play them.

Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Windows Explorer will all play a MIDI file on a click, although some will ask you to select a player on the first time.

I have mixed results on phones. Generally, phones won't play MIDI files, but I have been able to play MIDIs on some phones by pretending I'm testing them as a ringtone. Go figure.


But my question is about hardware, whether all sound cards still have MIDI capacity, or if the MIDI synthesizer is being phased out of sound cards. The software side certainly seems to be pushing MIDI into obscurity.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 04:36 PM

Anybody know anything about Macs? In theory my (2015 retina-build, so not the newest) Apple computer will, and iTunes and QuickTime players both say they will, but try to get them to actually do it! Earlier today I downloaded a midi from a highly trusted source but the error messages all said it contravened the security settings I had supposedly agreed to (I didn't) but cannot find ANYwhere how to undo. Gah!!!

Subject: RE: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: Helen
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 04:15 PM

Hi Joe, Windows Media Player (WMP) plays the MIDI files on my computer. Someone more tech-savvy than me can tell you how to make it happen automatically, but on a PC - and from memory - when you go into the file folder where the MIDI is saved, you right click on the name of a MIDI, then go down to Open With, and when that dropbox opens there is a line named Choose Default Program. Click on that and choose either Windows Media Player or whatever program works.

After that, any MIDI should open in that program by default, unless you change it again at a later date.

If the person's computer doesn't have WMP, then they might have to download or buy a program which does play MIDI files.

Another trick is to check that sound has not been muted, e.g. by checking the little speaker icon on the Windows taskbar - on the bottom of the window on my computer, on the other end of the taskbar which says "Start" on the furthest left. That's a tricky/pesky little issue that has caught me out sometimes.

That's about as far as my techo knowledge goes. I guess the question is, when people say that they can't play MIDI files, do they mean that the file won't open, or that the file opens but they can't hear it playing, or something else.

Subject: Tech: Can Computers Still Play MIDI?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Apr 19 - 03:38 PM

For a long, long time, computers have been able to play MIDI files. At first, they played little beeps, like what you hear on the Digital Tradition's Songwright melodies. But then computers got sound cards, and those sound cards always had MIDI capabilities with lots of voices to choose from. And some MIDI files sounded pretty darn good. I had a "Hatikvah" MIDI as the ringtone on my cell phone, and it sounded terrific.
But nowadays, many people can't play the MIDI files I send them, and I'm wondering if their computer sound cards no longer have MIDI capacity. It's a hassle to have to change MIDI to MP3, and the file size is so much larger.
So, what's the deal with modern computers and MIDI?

-Joe-