---
name: "midid"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dosemu"
version: "1:1.4.0.8+753+g18f6f5cd-4"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/midid"
---

# midid(1)

Raw Midi interpreter

## NAME

midid - Raw Midi interpreter

## SYNOPSIS

**midid** \[OPTIONS\] \[*input\_file*\]

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the **midid** command.

**midid** reads STDIN or *input\_file* and interprets it as raw MIDI data according to the General Midi standard.

The General Midi data is sent to a sound device (default), a .MID file, or to  [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) if you specify it.

**midid** includes a standalone mode for  [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md): **midid** will then attempt to start and configure [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) itself for you.

## OPTIONS

### Standard options

- **-o** *seconds***--timeout=*seconds***

  Turns output off after *seconds*  of inactivity. (default: 0 - no timeout)

- **-r**,**--resident**

  Stays resident ; doesn't stop at the end of file. It works only if *input\_file* isn't STDIN.

- **-g**,**--emulate-gm**

  Selects GM mode (default).

- **-m**,**--emulate-mt**

  Selects MT32 mode.

- **-d *device***,**--device=*device***

  Comma-separated list of devices to use for output.

- **-l**,**--list-devices**

  Lists devices.

- **-h**

  Displays a help message.

### Options for .MID file output device

- **-f**,**--file *filename***

  Sets the .MID output *filename*. Default: midid.mid.

- **-t *bpm***,**--tempo=*bpm***

  Sets the tempo (beats/minute). Default: 120.

- **-q *tickrate***,**--tick-rate=***tickrate*

  Sets the number of ticks/quarter note. Default: 144.

### Options for timidity(1) client

- **-s *server***,**--server-name=*server*,**

  Sets the [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) *server* host name. Default: localhost.

- **-p *port***,**--port=*port***

  Sets the [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) server control *port*. Default: 0. Specifying 0 enables the standalone mode: **midid** will attempt to start and configure [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) itself.

### Options for using standalone mode with timidity(1)

- **-B *path***,**--timidity-bin=*path***

  Sets the **timidity** binary *path*.

- **-A *args***,**--timidity-args=*args***

  Specifies some extra arguments to pass to [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) . Default:  -EFreverb=0 -EFchorus=0 -EFresamp=1 -EFvlpf=0 -EFns=0.

- **-M**,**--timidity-mono**

  Tells [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) to produce mono sound instead of stereo.

- **-L**,**--timidity-low**

  Tells [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) to produce the low-q 8bit sound instead of the 16bit.

- **-U**,**--timidity-uns**

  Tells [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) to produce the unsigned samples instead of the signed ones.

- **-F *rate***,**--timidity-freq=*rate***

  Sets the sampling *rate* for [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md).

- **-C**,**--timidity-capture**

  Enables the capturing mode: the data produced by [**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md) gets captured by **midid** and forwarded to stdout. You won't hear any sound in that mode.

## SEE ALSO

[**timidity**(1)](/timidity/1.md)

## AUTHORS

**midid** is:

Copyright (c) 1997 R.Nijlunsing \<rutger@null.net\>

Copyright (c) 2002 Robert Komar \<rkomar@telus.net\>

Copyright (c) 2002-2005 Stas Sergeev \<stsp@users.sourceforge.net\>

This manual page was written by Francois Wendling \<frwendling@free.fr\> for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).