Convert MIDI to 3GP — Free Online Converter
Convert Standard MIDI File (.midi) to 3GPP Multimedia (.3gp) online for free. Fast, secure audio conversion with no watermarks or registration....
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How to Convert
Upload your .midi file by dragging it into the upload area or clicking to browse.
Choose your output settings. The default settings work great for most files.
Click Convert and download your .3gp file when it's ready.
About MIDI to 3GP Conversion
MIDI (.midi) is the full-extension variant of the Standard MIDI File format, widely used on Linux workstations, certain DAWs like LMMS and Ardour, and in educational music software. The .midi extension is functionally identical to .mid — both store SMF Type 0 (single track) or Type 1 (multi-track) performance data including note events, tempo changes, time signatures, and General MIDI program assignments. The longer extension simply reflects platform naming conventions rather than any structural difference.
3GP is a mobile multimedia container standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project for cellular devices. Converting MIDI to 3GP involves synthesizing the MIDI score into an audio waveform using a SoundFont engine, then encoding that waveform into the 3GP container with a mobile-appropriate codec. This is particularly useful for karaoke and music education applications where MIDI content needs to reach students or performers on mobile devices.
Why Convert MIDI to 3GP?
Karaoke systems and music theory applications frequently distribute compositions as .midi files because the format allows real-time transposition, tempo adjustment, and instrument muting. However, sharing these compositions with participants who use basic smartphones requires rendering to a universally playable format. 3GP ensures the audio reaches every mobile user regardless of their device's MIDI synthesis capabilities.
Music educators distributing practice tracks or ear training exercises as MIDI can convert to 3GP for instant mobile playback. Students hear a consistent rendering rather than the unpredictable results of whatever synthesizer their phone provides — or more commonly, no playback at all on devices that lack MIDI support entirely.
Common Use Cases
- Distributing karaoke backing tracks rendered from MIDI to mobile performers via MMS
- Sending music theory exercise renderings to students on basic mobile phones
- Creating consistent practice accompaniments from MIDI for mobile music learners
- Preparing MIDI-based ear training audio clips for mobile delivery in classrooms
- Converting MIDI hymn arrangements to 3GP for church choir members' mobile access
How It Works
The conversion pipeline first parses the .midi file's SMF header to determine format type and timing resolution (pulses per quarter note). FFmpeg's MIDI decoder dispatches events to a FluidSynth-compatible engine loaded with a General MIDI SoundFont. The engine processes note-on/off events with velocity mapping, applies program changes to select instrument patches from the GM1 sound set (128 melodic + 47 percussion), and renders control change messages (CC7 volume, CC10 pan, CC64 sustain). The resulting stereo PCM is downmixed and encoded as AAC-LC or AMR-NB within a 3GP container conforming to 3GPP TS 26.244.
Quality & Performance
Output fidelity depends on the interplay between SoundFont quality and 3GP codec selection. A well-crafted SoundFont with 16-bit multi-sampled instruments produces musical results, but the narrow bandwidth of AMR-NB (300-3400 Hz) drastically reduces that quality. Choosing AAC-LC at 48-64 kbps within 3GP preserves far more of the synthesized spectrum. Simple monophonic melodies and hymn arrangements survive AMR encoding reasonably well, but complex orchestral MIDI scores lose most of their harmonic richness at mobile codec bitrates.
Device Compatibility
| Device | MIDI | 3GP |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Partial | Partial |
| macOS | Partial | Partial |
| iPhone/iPad | Partial | Partial |
| Android | Partial | Native |
| Linux | Partial | Partial |
| Web Browser | No | No |
Recommended Settings by Platform
Spotify
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 320 kbps
OGG Vorbis preferred
Apple Music
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 256 kbps
AAC format required
SoundCloud
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 128 kbps
Lossless FLAC/WAV for best quality
Podcast
Resolution: N/A
Bitrate: 128 kbps
MP3 mono for spoken word
Tips for Best Results
- 1Edit the MIDI tempo and transposition before conversion rather than trying to modify the audio output afterward
- 2Select AAC-LC encoding within 3GP at 48 kbps minimum for musical content — AMR is designed for speech and mangles music
- 3Simplify dense MIDI arrangements to 4-6 simultaneous voices for cleaner results at mobile bitrates
- 4Use a General MIDI Level 2 (GM2) SoundFont for better instrument variety and more expressive rendering
- 5Test the 3GP output on the cheapest target device your audience uses — speaker quality varies dramatically on budget phones
MIDI to 3GP bridges the gap between educational and karaoke MIDI content and mobile device playback. Select AAC over AMR within the 3GP container whenever possible for musical content.