PLAYING MIDI FILES ON THE MACINTOSH

You can play MIDI files on you Macintosh speaker without any external MIDI hardware, as follows:

• You will need QuickTime 2.0, which is available for downloading from the Web for about $10. It is also found on the System 7.5 CD.

• Use a file type converter, such as ResEdit or any number of freeware programs, to change the downloaded MIDI files into the standard Apple MIDI file type. If you do not do this, the files will probably be classified as unknown, text, or binary by your Mac.

• Make sure you are running System 7.5.x, with Macintosh Easy Open enabled, and both Quicktime 2.0 and Quicktime Musical Instruments installed.

• Using ResEdit or similar, give the Midi files creator = "ttxt" and type = "Midi". (Note that it is Midi, not 'midi' or 'MIDI'.)

• Double-click your Midi file.

• MEO will get QuickTime to translate the Midi file to a QT soundtrack, which SimpleText will then play.

Also helpful, although not necessary, is any freeware file converter such as AIIMIDI or MIDIConverter. These automate the file opening process by translating any dropped MIDI file directly into QuickTime. This makes them double-clickable from the Finder without having to explicitly open them from MoviePlayer or SimpleText.

The PowerBook and AV Macs have built-in MIDI support.

We have received a report that on some Macintoshes the instrument assignments are off by one number, resulting in quite unsatisfactory sound. The reporter stated that he uses the open- option feature of the ALLMIDI program, which allows you to edit the track assignments.

• To G&S Archive MIDI Help Home Page
• To G&S Archive MIDI Home Page
• To G&S Archive Home Page

Updated 1 Dec 1996