MIDI files 3075

Mike Oliver

PCs support a variety of hardware MIDI devices, dating at least as far back as FM modulation on the Sound Blaster 16. However, more recent sound implementations, particularly the onboard implementations such as the VIA chipsets, don't directly implement MIDI support.

Instead, you need an application that performs the functions typically buttociated with a MIDI-supporting sound card. The most common such applications are wavetable synthesizers that take instrument sounds (patches), and mix them together to form a PCM audio output stream.

timidity is one such application. playmidi isn't. playmidi just reads the MIDI commands contained in a MIDI file, and pbuttes them to the kernel MIDI sequencer, which typically attempts to pbutt the commands on to a MIDI-supporting device.

Alternatively, you can tell timidity to tell your kernel to treat it as MIDI hardware. That way, any MIDI commands sent to the kernel sequencer interface get piped into Timidity. Timidity then does its magic, and pipes the audio data back into your chosen audio interface, and you hear the synthesized music.

grab

Yes. However, if you want to listen to other sounds at the same time as your MIDI files, you'll need a sound daemon like esd, artsd, or jackd. (I've gotten the first two to work very easily, but I've only recently started playing around with jackd.)

The easiest way to use timidity to play a file is to include the name of the file you want to play on the timidity command-line. Typing "timidity briefing.mid" will tell timidity to play briefing.mid, and pump the output through my sound card using the first available audio API it detects.

However, I'd still suggest trying fluidsynth and the Musica Theoria soundfont. IMO, it sounds *much* better.