How to Download & Install a MIDI Player

If your browser does not have a built in MIDI player, or you would like a player with a better sound, there are three main choices: the Yamaha MIDplug, the Crescendo MIDI Music Player, and the Beatnik Player. All of them are freeware.

We will describe how to download and install the Yamaha and Crescendo plug-ins. The Beatnik plug is very cool, too, but it has great instructions and support on site. To learn more about the Beatnik plug-in, go to HeadSpace.com. The Beatnik plug-in is used for more than just MIDI files and can be installed even if you already have a MIDI Player plug-in (that's what Tobin has done). Then you can hear all the Beatnik rmf sounds on Beatnik webpages and use Crescendo (for example) to listen to all Crescendo-exclusive MIDI webpages. Check out Beatnik, it's very cool.

To download the Crescendo Player, go to: http://www.liveupdate.com/ and follow the instructions provided. (Don't bother buying the Crescendo Plus package; just get the FREE player.) The Crescendo Player is easier to install but doesn't sound quite as good as the Yamaha. After you've followed the Crescendo Installation instructions, go to #4 below and make sure all your browser's preferences have been properly reset.*

To download Yamaha MIDplug plug-in for the best MIDI sound on the web,
follow these instructions:

1. Go to: http://www.cyber-bp.or.jp/yamaha/midplug/index_e.html

2. Follow the onscreen instructions to download a player for Macintosh
or Windows onto your desktop.

3. After it unstuffs itself, open the "MPXGE-m.sea" folder and drag the
MIDplug icon into the "Plug-Ins" folder for your web browser, and then
quit your browser.

4.* Reopen your browser, and go through its Options and Preferences until you find items concerning sound formats (audio files, midi files, .wav files, etc.). **

(NOTE: IN Netscape, you must get to the Edit/Preferences/Navigator/Applications window.)

Edit every item that references "midi" or "mid" - this includes audio/midi, audio/x-midi, application/x-midi - so that it identifies your new plug-in as the active plug-in for that function. Once you are certain all items with "mid" or "midi" in them are set to your new plug-in, quit your browser.

5. Reopen your browser, and your new MIDI plug-in should be fully installed and ready to go. Try out the ArtsForge MIDI Player or a MusicForge MIDI Collaborative project page.

Note: If any of the MIDI preferences (audio/midi, audio/x-midi, application/x-midi) are not listed in your applications window, you should create them, identifying your new MIDI Player as the application that will handle all incoming ".mid" files.)

**other sound preferences may include: ULAW audio, audio/aiff, WAV audio, AIFF audio, audio/wav. You can also change the preferences for these audio applications (audio/aiff, audio/wav, etc.) to identify your new plug-in as the active plugin, but that is not necessary to using the new MIDI plug in for MIDI files. (It might make these other files sound better, however.)

Note: Tobin uses Crescendo because it has a wider listener base. Chris uses Yamaha because it sounds better. All MIDI is a bit disappointing in sound quality and takes getting used to, but it's the fasted way to download music files on the web.


Instructions on how to download the Yamaha MIDplug or the Crescendo Streaming MIDI Player plug-ins:
ArtsForge Main Page MusicForge		ArtsForge MIDI Player MusicForge MIDI Collaborative Jazz Etude MIDI Project.

	If your browser does not have a built in MIDI player, or you would like a player with a better sound, there are three main choices: the Yamaha MIDplug, the Crescendo MIDI Music Player, and the Beatnik Player. All of them are freeware. We will describe how to download and install the Yamaha and Crescendo plug-ins. The Beatnik plug is very cool, too, but it has great instructions and support on site. To learn more about the Beatnik plug-in, go to HeadSpace.com. The Beatnik plug-in is used for more than just MIDI files and can be installed even if you already have a MIDI Player plug-in (that's what Tobin has done). Then you can hear all the Beatnik rmf sounds on Beatnik webpages and use Crescendo (for example) to listen to all Crescendo-exclusive MIDI webpages. Check out Beatnik, it's very cool. To download the Crescendo Player, go to: http://www.liveupdate.com/ and follow the instructions provided. (Don't bother buying the Crescendo Plus package; just get the FREE player.) The Crescendo Player is easier to install but doesn't sound quite as good as the Yamaha. After you've followed the Crescendo Installation instructions, go to #4 below and make sure all your browser's preferences have been properly reset.* To download Yamaha MIDplug plug-in for the best MIDI sound on the web, follow these instructions: 1. Go to: http://www.cyber-bp.or.jp/yamaha/midplug/index_e.html 2. Follow the onscreen instructions to download a player for Macintosh or Windows onto your desktop. 3. After it unstuffs itself, open the "MPXGE-m.sea" folder and drag the MIDplug icon into the "Plug-Ins" folder for your web browser, and then quit your browser. 4.* Reopen your browser, and go through its Options and Preferences until you find items concerning sound formats (audio files, midi files, .wav files, etc.). (NOTE: IN Netscape, you must get to the Edit/Preferences/Navigator/Applications window.) Edit every item that references "midi" or "mid" - this includes audio/midi, audio/x-midi, application/x-midi - so that it identifies your new plug-in as the active plug-in for that function. Once you are certain all items with "mid" or "midi" in them are set to your new plug-in, quit your browser. 5. Reopen your browser, and your new MIDI plug-in should be fully installed and ready to go. Try out the ArtsForge MIDI Player or a MusicForge MIDI Collaborative project page. Note: If any of the MIDI preferences (audio/midi, audio/x-midi, application/x-midi) are not listed in your applications window, you should create them, identifying your new MIDI Player as the application that will handle all incoming ".mid" files.) other sound preferences may include: ULAW audio, audio/aiff, WAV audio, AIFF audio, audio/wav. You can also change the preferences for these audio applications (audio/aiff, audio/wav, etc.) to identify your new plug-in as the active plugin, but that is not necessary to using the new MIDI plug in for MIDI files. (It might make these other files sound better, however.) Note: Tobin uses Crescendo because it has a wider listener base. Chris uses Yamaha because it sounds better. All MIDI is a bit disappointing in sound quality and takes getting used to, but it's the fasted way to download music files on the web.