amidi

amidi [-p port] [-s file | -S data] [-r file] [-d] [-t seconds] [-a]

amidi is a command-line utility which allows one to receive and send SysEx (system exclusive) data from/to external MIDI devices. It can also send any other MIDI commands.

amidi handles only files containing raw MIDI commands, without timing information. amidi does not support Standard MIDI (.mid) files, but aplaymidi(1) and arecordmidi(1) do.

Use the -h, -V, -l, or -L options to display information; or use at least one of the -s, -r, -S, or -d options to specify what data to send or receive.

-h, --help

Help: prints a list of options.

-V, --version

Prints the current version.

-l, --list-devices

Prints a list of all hardware MIDI ports.

-L, --list-rawmidis

Prints all RawMIDI definitions. (used when debugging configuration files)

-p, --port=name

Sets the name of the ALSA RawMIDI port to use. If this is not specified, amidi uses the default port defined in the configuration file (the default for this is port 0 on card 0, which may not exist).

-s, --send=filename

Sends the contents of the specified file to the MIDI port. The file must contain raw MIDI commands (e.g. a .syx file); for Standard MIDI (.mid) files, use aplaymidi(1).

-r, --receive=filename

Writes data received from the MIDI port into the specified file. The file will contain raw MIDI commands (such as in a .syx file); to record a Standard MIDI (.mid) file, use arecordmidi(1).

amidi will filter out any Active Sensing and Clock bytes (FEh, F8h), unless the -a or -c options have been given.

-S, --send-hex="..."

Sends the bytes specified as hexadecimal numbers to the MIDI port.

-d, --dump

Prints data received from the MIDI port as hexadecimal bytes. Active Sensing and Clock bytes (FEh, F8h) will not be shown, unless the -a or -c options have been given.

This option is useful for debugging.

-t, --timeout=seconds

Stops receiving data when no data has been received for the specified amount of time.

If this option has not been given, you must press Ctrl+C (or kill amidi) to stop receiving data.

-a, --active-sensing

Does not ignore Active Sensing bytes (FEh) when saving or printing received MIDI commands.

-c, --clock

Does not ignore Clock bytes (F8h) when saving or printing received MIDI commands.

-i, --sysex-interval=mseconds

Adds a delay in between each SysEx message sent to a device. It is useful when sending firmware updates via SysEx messages to a remote device.

amidi -p hw:0 -s my_settings.syx

will send the MIDI commands in my_settings.syx to port hw:0.

amidi -p hw:1,0,0 -s firmware.syx -i 100

will send the MIDI commands in firmware.syx to port hw:1,0,0 with 100 milliseconds delay in between each SysEx message.

amidi -S 'F0 43 10 4C 00 00 7E 00 F7'

sends an XG Reset to the default port.

amidi -p hw:1,2 -S F0411042110C000000000074F7 -r dump.syx -t 1

sends a “Parameter Dump Request” to a GS device, saves the received parameter data to the file dump.syx, and stops after the device has finished sending data (when no data has been received for one second).

amidi -p virtual -d

creates a virtual RawMIDI port and prints all data sent to this port.

/usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf default rawmidi definitions
/etc/asound.conf system-wide rawmidi definitions
~/.asoundrc user specific rawmidi definitions

aplaymidi(1) arecordmidi(1)

Clemens Ladisch <clemens@ladisch.de>