Why does my MIDI sound different on other machines?

MIDI contains no audio — only instructions. Whatever plays it supplies the sounds, so the same file can sound completely different depending on the synthesiser or sample library.

Will it play in the browser?

Generally not. Browsers have no built-in synthesiser. Host an MP3 rendering alongside if people need to hear it.

The same format; both extensions are common and handled identically here.

Host a MIDI file and share it as a link

Put a MIDI sequence online at its own address — notes and instructions rather than recorded sound.

You can host:

Drop your MIDI file here

Any other file works too — up to 25.0 MB, or 100.0 MB for a whole site

Free to use. Your MIDI file is live at your-name.99helpers.site in about ten seconds.

What is a .midi file?

A MIDI file contains no audio at all — it's a list of instructions: which note, when, how hard, on which instrument. Whatever plays it supplies the sounds, which is why the same file can be a convincing arrangement in one program and a toy keyboard in another. Files are correspondingly tiny.

What people use MIDI files for

Arrangements shared between musicians
Backing tracks and lead sheets
Sequences imported into a DAW for editing
Karaoke and practice files

What opens a MIDI file

Logic, Ableton, Cubase, Reaper and every DAW
MuseScore and Sibelius, for notation
VLC and media players, using a software synth
Most browsers won't play MIDI without a plugin

How to host a MIDI file

1
Drop your MIDI file in
Drag it onto the box at the top of this page, or click to choose it. Files up to 25 MB are supported, and nothing is uploaded until you publish.
2
Pick an address
Type a name and we'll tell you straight away whether it's free. That becomes the link: arrangement.99helpers.site
3
Publish and share
Create a free account — that step exists so the file is yours to update, replace or delete — and the link is live within seconds.

The same three steps work for any file — see how file hosting works on 99helpers.com.

What happens when someone opens the link

The file downloads. Browsers generally can't play MIDI — there's no audio in the file, and no synthesiser to render it.

Why host a MIDI file instead of emailing it?

MIDI files are tiny and get passed between musicians constantly. A link is easier than an attachment, and the file will never trouble a size limit.

Worth knowing before you publish

How it sounds depends entirely on the listener's instruments — send an MP3 rendering alongside if the arrangement matters.
Files are only a few kilobytes, so size is never a constraint.
General MIDI instrument numbers make an arrangement more portable between programs.

MIDI hosting questions

Why does my MIDI sound different on other machines?: MIDI contains no audio — only instructions. Whatever plays it supplies the sounds, so the same file can sound completely different depending on the synthesiser or sample library.
Will it play in the browser?: Generally not. Browsers have no built-in synthesiser. Host an MP3 rendering alongside if people need to hear it.
.mid or .midi?: The same format; both extensions are common and handled identically here.

Put your MIDI file online now

It takes about ten seconds, and you only make an account once the file is ready to go live.

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Hosting guides for related formats

Host an MP3 audio file Host a WAV audio file Host a FLAC audio file Host an M4A audio file Host a ZIP archive

MIDI is one of over 211 formats you can host — see free file hosting for any file type for the full list, or read the hosting guides for other file types.