Top MIDI Player for Windows 10/8/7, Mac and Online

What is MIDI? MIDI, standing for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, is the technical music format with .mid or .midi file extension. MIDI is one of the most original formats of digital media. Different with MP3 or WAV audio format, MIDI contains no actual audio data, but it powerfully needs much smaller in size, as a song in MIDI format can be coded using only a few kilobytes and lines. However, you may find out that some popular media tools like VideoLAN, Audacity and more cannot support MIDI playback. Where to find MIDI player to play MIDI?

• Part 1. MIDI Player for Windows
• Part 2. MIDI Player for Mac
• Part 3. MIDI Player online
• Part 4. MIDI Player for Android and iOS

Part 1: MIDI Player for Windows 10/8/7

1. Windows Media Player - Native MIDI player for Windows

Windows Media Player is a native player for Windows computer, which can support playing MIDI files. However, many users respond that Windows Media Player cannot play MIDI audio file smoothly, as the Microsoft program frequently sent message of sound card error during MIDI playback. Besides sound card issue, the MIDI files not playing issue may cause by not installing MIDI driver or incorrectly setting MIDI Mapper. Before attempting the troubleshooting, you can try to restart your Windows first and try to do the MIDI playback first.

2. Sweet MIDI Player - A MIDI player for both Windows and Mac

Sweet MIDI Player is a MIDI audio player that can not only audition all types of MIDI files, but also modify MIDI files themselves. It can help you easily edit the control messages, transpose the music, change the tempo, mute desired MIDI channels and save the end results to disk. With its Jukebox function, Sweet MIDI Player can let you create playlists with up to 500 songs.

Besides the above MIDI players, MIDI files can be playable with WildMidi, Winamp, NoteWorthy Composer, TiMidity++, Synthesia, Amarok as well as some other media players.

Part 2: MIDI Player for Mac (macOS High Sierra included)

1. QuickTime Pro - MIDI Player on Mac

QuickTime Pro Player can import MIDI (Karaoke MIDI, Standard MIDI and General MIDI) formats. It uses its built-in synthesizer to play MIDI files. You can also set QuickTime to use an external synthesizer instead of the built-in one. In order to play MIDI audio on QuickTime, you just need to choose the MIDI file to add in the QuickTime Pro with choose File > Open File and select the MIDI file you want to play.

2. Apple's Logic Pro - More than a MIDI Player

You can also use Apple's Logic Pro to play MIDI files. Logic Pro X is more than a basic player, it is a comprehensive music production software to let you create, edit and deliver your best music. Logic Pro can open or import Standard MIDI files by allowing you to work with MIDI data from almost any other application. You can either open MIDI file as a new project or import it into an existing Logic project to bring Standard MIDI file into Logic.

Part 3: Play MIDI files online

If you do not want to download or buy a MIDI player software, you can also choose playing MIDI online. There are lots of websites that can be considered as online MIDI players. Just take onlinesequencer.net for example, you can easily click "Choose File" button to select MIDI file on your computer and click "Continue", then you can enjoy MIDI file playback online. But please not that sequencer does not support all MIDI files, like MIDI files using features. It can work well with the simple ones.

Part 4: MIDI Player for Android and iOS 17/16/15/14/13

Want to play MIDI music on portable Android device or iOS devices? You can check the following MIDI player apps.

1. MIDI Sheet Music - MIDI Player for Android

Midi Sheet Music, which is able to play MIDI files. Also, this app enables you to convert the MIDI file to sheet music for printing or saving in the format of PDF or PNG. This MIDI player for Android can support adjusting the speed of MIDI music, muting or hiding tracks, displaying the note letters and more.

2. Sweet MIDI Player - MIDI Player for iPhone/iPad/iPod

Sweet MIDI Player is a MIDI player for not only auditioning all types of MIDI files, but for modifying the MIDI files themselves. It can view lyrics synchronized with the music (MIDI Karaoke files) and has built in MIDI sound library with support for DLS/SF2 files. It also includes a playlist function which allows you to create and manage playlists.

Extended Reading: MIDI Player Q & A

1. Why VLC and Audacity cannot play MIDI?

MIDI is not an audio. It is believed to be related whith the primitive nature of MIDI. VLC playback needs sf2 (SoundFont) files, while MIDI file contain no actual audio but only contains tempo, volume, velocity, control signal parameters, pitch and some other data.

The latest version of Audacity current provides support for MIDI. However, such feature is still buggy, and there is no MIDI playback available on Audacity. But Audacity can speak MIDI's "language" to standard keystrokes through Bome's MIDI Translator.

2. How to convert MIDI file to more playable audio formats?

Difficult to play MIDI file? Alternatively, converting MIDI to MP3/WMA/M4A/OGG/AAC and other audio format is another way. There are many free online MIDI converters for you to choose from, such as Zamzar, Bear File Converter, FileZigZag and so on. Bear File Converter is also able to convert MP3 to MIDI.

If you want to record MIDI or convert MIDI to MP3/M4A/WMA/AAC, you are recommended with a reputable and flexible MIDI Recorder. With this program, you are able to grab the .midi audio with perfect quality and save the recording as MP3/WMA/M4A/AAC.