What is a Midi File?

A MIDI file is a digital file that contains musical performance data rather than recorded audio. It stores information about musical events such as notes, timing, velocity, pitch, and instrument instructions.

Instead of containing actual sound recordings, a MIDI file acts like a set of instructions that tell a synthesizer, virtual instrument, or digital audio workstation how to produce the music. The file specifies which notes to play, when to play them, and how they should be performed.

MIDI files are widely used in music production, composition, sequencing, and digital instruments. Because they contain only performance data rather than audio, MIDI files are usually small in size and can easily be edited, rearranged, or assigned to different sounds and instruments.