# Midi files sound terrible from web browser - help please. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 6, 2001, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midi-files-sound-terrible-from-web-browser-help-please/85824 "2001-10-06T20:49:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midi-files-sound-terrible-from-web-browser-help-please/85824/1 "2001-10-06T20:49:36Z")
Whenever I visit a website with that plays a midi file, the sound comes out scratchy sounding. I have a PC and this happens whether I use IE or Netscape. Any suggestions on how to fix this? Haj ---
**Author:** ![Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gut)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midi-files-sound-terrible-from-web-browser-help-please/85824/2 "2001-10-07T01:44:23Z")
I had the same thing happening to me. Turns out Quicktime was the culprit in my case. I removed the file association from Quicktime. Control Panel -\> Quicktime -\> Browser Plugin -\> MIME Settings -\> Audio -\> Uncheck the MIDI box. Restart browser. Worked for me. Hopefully it’s the same cause for you. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midi-files-sound-terrible-from-web-browser-help-please/85824/3 "2001-10-07T02:10:12Z")
Another possible cause is your sound card. MIDI files don’t actually contain the music. It’s basically the electronic version of sheet music. Your sound card has samples of what the instruments is supposed to sound like. Every instrument is assigned a number, and the MIDI file contains data about what instrument to play, and at what volume, note, and time. It’s up to your computer, and thus your sound card, to translate the MIDI file and generate sound. If you have a cheap sound card, the MIDI samples may be of low quality. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midi-files-sound-terrible-from-web-browser-help-please/85824/4 "2001-10-07T05:30:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gut \* > \*\*I had the same thing happening to me. Turns out Quicktime was the culprit in my case. I removed the file association from Quicktime. Control Panel -\> Quicktime -\> Browser Plugin -\> MIME Settings -\> Audio -\> Uncheck the MIDI box. Restart browser. Worked for me. Hopefully it’s the same cause for you. \*\* Thank you, **Gut**! Your suggestion worked. I never would have figured that out on my own. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gut)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midi-files-sound-terrible-from-web-browser-help-please/85824/5 "2001-10-07T14:59:51Z")
Glad I could help you out **hajario**. ---
**Author:** ![DVous\_Means](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@DVous\_Means](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DVous_Means)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midi-files-sound-terrible-from-web-browser-help-please/85824/6 "2001-10-07T15:18:33Z")
There is another way of beating bad midi if you are stuck with a cheap and nasty sound card - get a virtual wavetable. I use one called WinGroove, and the results are quite acceptable, when compared against a Yamaha wavetable card I have installed in an spare machine.