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Mahmoud
Asked: 2012-05-01 10:31:13 +0800 CST

Midi files not working on Rhythmbox nor VLC

  • 772

  • Rhythmbox 2.96 doesn't run any midi file on Ubuntu 12.04, even after installing GStreamer and Ubuntu Restricted Extras.

  • Rhythmbox-Message: Missing plugin: gstreamer|0.10|rhythmbox-metadata|audio/midi decoder|decoder-audio/midi

  • [0xb5504e40] main decoder error: no suitable decoder module for fourcc `MIDI'. VLC probably does not support this sound or video format.

rhythmbox midi vlc gstreamer

3 Answers

  1. You can play midi with VLC. Just install vlc-plugin-fluidsynth

    sudo apt install vlc-plugin-fluidsynth
    • 21

  2. Usually audio-players do not support playing midi file, that strictly speaking are not audio files.

    You can play midi file through a MIDI software synthesizer, like Timidity or Fluidsynth.

    In the Rhythmbox FAQ you find the following question:

    Can I use MIDI files with Rhythmbox?

    Rhythmbox uses the GStreamer media framework for actual playback and a lot of other functionality, so in general Rhythmbox plays exactly those formats that are supported by GStreamer. GStreamer, on the other hand, uses a plugin system where each format is supported by a plugin. Thus, the formats supported by GStreamer (and Rhythmbox) depends on which plugins you have installed. Different distributions may ship with a different set of plugins by default.

    To look for plug-ins, go to http://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/documentation/ . The Wildmidi plugin works fine with rhythmbox.

    so if you still want to use Rhythmbox for midi files, take a look at the mentioned Wildmidi project.

    • 3

  3. Install Gstreammer 0.10

    Open your Terminal, copy and paste:

    sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-fluendo-mp3 gstreamer0.10-gnonlin gstreamer0.10-sdl gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-schroedinger gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly totem-plugins-extra

    sudo apt-get install gstreamer-dbus-media-service gstreamer-tools ubuntu-restricted-extras
    that should do it

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