Midi downloads don't work

Yup, unfortunately, I can't hear many of the pieces posted here. Obviously, with a Finale .mus I can, but frequently there is only a midi file available. Anyway, I click on it (I'm using Firefox) and save it onto my computer, and I'll open it in winamp and nothing will play. I tried Windows Media Player and it just froze. When I try to open it from my desktop (instead from the downloads window in firefox) it says "not a valid Win32 application". Any suggestions as to why this may be happening?

Edit: Holy crap, this post sucks :happy:...man, it's late...anyway...changing the post a bit to sound better...

You certainly shouldn't get a message which says that the file isn't a valid Win32 application because MIDIs aren't a Win32 application at all. The fact that you are receiving that error message suggests that you have somehow downloaded a .mid file as an .exe file or something.

Does this problem occur with every MIDI file you download from here or were you only attempting to download one? It may be that there is a problem with that individual file. Also, you aren't using "Save Link As" are you? Due to the way the board handles file downloads, doing it this way with Firefox will probably result in the file being downloaded with the wrong extension, which may cause errors when you try to open it.

Yeah, I've downloaded a bunch of files and the same thing always happens. Also, before, when it said it's not a vaild Win32 application, apparntly that was only because the midi files were set to open with finale instead of winamp...so now they'll open in winamp, but still no sound. I'll try downloading some other midis and see what happens. Anyway, I can open the midis fine in Finale, meaning there's nothing wrong with them, so it must be winamp or some other factor that won't let me just hear them...

oh yeah, and I download them by simplying clicking on them, and a window pops up asking whether I want to save it or open it...I choose save, and it downloads...but then can't be played! Perhaps I need to upgrade winamp...

Try these steps:

1. Start -> settings -> control panel -> sounds and devices

You should be on the volume tab, click on advanced in the device volume section. Make sure your synth volume is turned up.

2. Start -> settings -> control panel -> sounds and devices

Click the audio tab. Find midi music playback. Make sure the proper device is chosen, such as Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth.

Now you should be able to hear midis. Also, make sure that the extensions end with "mid". If you still have problems, try playing the files using windows media player.