Sustainability of Digital Formats
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Introduction | Sustainability Factors | Content Categories | Format Descriptions | Contact |
Full name | Standard MIDI File Format |
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Description |
Wrapper format for MIDI data. From the specification from MIDI.org (an arm of the MIDI Manufacturers Association): "This chunk architecture is similar to that used by the Electronic Arts IFF format, and the chunks described herein could easily be placed in an IFF file. The MIDI file itself is not an IFF file: it contains no nested chunks, and chunks are not constrained to be an even number of bytes long." (Section 4, p. 3) MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface |
Production phase | May be used by composers or arrangers for initial-state activities, in middle-state exchange of data or archiving, or for final-state, end-user delivery. |
Relationship to other formats | |
Contains | MIDI_SD, MIDI sequence data |
Affinity to | IFF, EA Interchange File Format, 1985 |
LC experience or existing holdings | None |
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LC preference | None established at this time |
Disclosure | Fully documented. Developed by the MIDI Manufacturers Association. |
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Documentation | The Complete MIDI 1.0 Detailed Specification (2001), available for purchase from MIDI.org. |
Adoption | See MIDI_SD. |
Licensing and patents | See MIDI_SD. |
Transparency | Transparent wrapper. See also MIDI_SD. |
Self-documentation | Header chunks are used to identify track chunks within the file; Meta-Events include sequence information, text inclusions, copyright notices, track names, and more. |
External dependencies | See MIDI_SD. |
Technical protection considerations | None known to the compilers of this document. |
Sound | |
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Normal rendering | Not applicable; see MIDI_SD. |
Fidelity (high audio resolution) | Not applicable; see MIDI_SD. |
Multiple channels | Not applicable; see MIDI_SD. |
Support for user-defined sounds, samples, and patches | No; see XMF. |
Functionality beyond normal rendering | See MIDI_SD. The compilers of this document have not investigated the degree to which such added functionality is provided by SMF as distinct from other file formats and/or application software. See Notes for comment on karaoke applications. |
Tag | Value | Note |
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Filename extension | mid midi |
Selected from The File Extension Source. Also listed at the site: mff, mdi, and kar for karaoke MIDI files; see also Notes. |
Internet Media Type | audio/mid audio/m audio/midi audio/x-midi application/x-midi |
Selected from The File Extension Source; for kar karaoke files, x-music/x-midi is added. No Internet Media Type for MIDI found at http://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/. |
Magic numbers | Hex: 4D 54 68 64 ASCII: MThd |
From Gary Kessler's File Signatures Table. The File Extension Source reports this for Hex: 4D 54 68 64 00 00 00 06 00 01 00. |
General |
MIDI data is placed in numerous types of files, including files used in games and specialized devices. One alternative to SMF is RMID, based in the Microsoft RIFF specification but deprecated at the MIDI.org site. The File Extension Source reports that "the .KAR [karaoke] file format was designed by Tune 1000 Corp. They have abandonded it, but it is still the prevailing file format in shareware/public domain market. Other Karaoke formats include: .MID+.TXK, .MID, .CRT, and .ST3. . . . Various programs use this extension; too many to list individually." |
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History | See MIDI_SD. |
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