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Depending on how your browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape) is configured, left clicking on a file will either open it and begin playing it or start downloading it to your hard drive. If you wish to download these files so that you may use them while disconnected from the internet:
If you use Internet Explorer, right click on the file name then select "Save Target As". You then will have the opportunity to select a directory on your hard drive into which the file will be saved.
If you use Netscape, right click on the file name then select "Save Link As". You then will have the opportunity to select a directory on your hard drive into which the file will be saved.
The quality of playback is dependent on basically three things:
The quality of your sound card
The quality of your speakers
The default program that your computer uses to play midi files
You should have a wave table sound card so that the instruments have a realistic sound to them. The old FM synthesis sound cards have more in common with a musical Christmas tree ornament than an actual instrument. I suggest Soundblaster 32, Soundblaster Awe 64, Soundblaster Live, Soundblaster Ensoniq, or any other sound card that features wave table instead of FM synthesis sound generation.
I have also recently tested a Yamaha software synthesizer which will add terrific sounding instruments to any sound card. They have a couple of models, including an S-YXG50 for Pentium 166 and above computers and an S-YG20 for slower computers. Yamaha offers a 90 day free trial version of their softsynths at this URL: http://www.yamaha.co.uk/xg/html/h_featur.htm
Computer speakers are no match for a home stereo. If you are serious about music and being a musician, you must take a line out from your sound card and patch it into a good stereo. You'll be amazed at what a great combination a computer and a stereo make! The patch cord usually consists of a male stereo mini-plug (connects to computer sound card) on one end and two male RCA plugs (connects to stereo auxiliary input) on the other end.
Most midi programs will play my files just fine. Anyone with a computer that loves music should probably be using Winamp, which is now available completely free. It will not only play midi's, but also the very popular mp3's,cd's and wave files.
A great free midi player is VanBasco's MIDI Player. It has a control function which can change playback tempo as well as key. It also has a cool karaoke feature which enables you to download and sing to karaoke files which are widely available on the internet. This MIDI player plugs in nicely to Internet Explorer or Netscape.