How to convert MIDI to MP3

If you want to convert MIDI files to MP3 format, here is a way how to do it using the audio player called "XMPlay". It provides conversion with a great quality. To use it, you will need:

  1. The XMPlay, download it here: www.un4seen.com;
  2. "XMPlay MIDI" plugin, get in on the same page (the file name is "xmp-midi.zip");
  3. A sound font. You can use any sound font for your favor, the sound quality and style will depend on this font. For example, download here the sound font file "FluidR3_GM.SF2" (use sfArk tool from that site to uncompress it), or download the sound font here, or google it. The size of the file "FluidR3_GM.SF2" is about 142 MB.
  4. Get Lame MP3 encoder here: http://www.rarewares.org/mp3-lame-bundle.php#lame-current, we need command-line version lame.exe.

Now do this steps:

  1. Unzip XMPlay in a directory, for example, in "C:\Program Files\xmplay";
  2. Unzip "XMPlay MIDI" plugin (the file xmp-midi.dll) in the same directory;
  3. Uncompress (if necessary) the sound font and copy the file FluidR3_GM.SF2 in the same directory;
  4. Unzip Lame MP3 encoder (the file lame.exe) in the same directory.

Now you have to setup the XMPlay. Start it (the file xmplay.exe), then press F9 key to get Options and stuff screen.

Options and stuff of XMPlay audio player

Select "Plugins --> Input" and then "MIDI" on the right panel, and press "Config" button. You'll get to this screen:

MIDI Configuration panel of XMPlay audio player

Press the "Add" button and select a sound font (you'll see the sound font added to the left panel), and then press the button "Apply" on the right bottom of the screen. Close all dialogs, and now drag and drop MIDI files you want to convert to the right panel of the program (or press the key "O" to select MIDI files). Make a right click with the mouse on a track in the right panel to popup the menu. From this menu select "Write to disk --> Encoder - LAME" and select a folder to save the MP3 file. You can convert only one file at a time.

How to convert midi to mp3 using player XMPlay with MIDI plugin and LAME encoder

That's all, you got it! Now the MIDI file is converted into MP3 format. But if you didn't copied the file lame.exe into program folder, you'll see the error message "Can't start encoder".

Here is an example of conversion MIDI to MP3 using three different sound fonts, check it out:

   

In this example the MIDI file "Zodiac - Provincial Disco" has been converted into MP3 file. The file is splitted into 4 section, 30 seconds each one. The first and the last sections were created using the sound font "FluidR3_GM.SF2", the second section was created using the sound font "Timbres Of Heaven GM_GS_XG_SFX V 3.0 Final !!!.sf2", and the third section was created with the sound font "SGM-V2.01.sf2". Note the excellent sound quality compared to the Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth.

By the way, there is a way to convert MIDI files to OGG or FLAC format. For the OGG format you'll need Ogg encoder, get it here (Generic). The archive contains the file "oggenc2.exe", extract it into the program folder and rename it to "oggenc.exe".

To convert MIDI files to FLAC format you'll need FLAC encoder, you can get it here (FLAC win32 bundle). Unzip the file "flac.exe" from the archive into program folder.

The process of conversion of MIDI files into OGG or FLAC formats is the same as for MP3 format, except that you have to choose the "Encoder - OGG" or "Encoder - FLAC" in the popup menu as described above.

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