About MIDI
The Microsoft
Win32 application programming interface (API) provides the following methods
for applications to work with MIDI data:
The Media Control Interface
(MCI). Although the simplest way to play a MIDI file is to use the MCIWnd
window class, you can also use MCI commands to create a customized interface to
a MIDI device. For more information about the MCIWnd window class, see MCIWnd
Window Class. For
more information about MCI, see MCI, or Media Control Interface (MCI).
Stream buffers. This format allows an
application to manipulate buffers of time-stamped MIDI data for playback.
Stream buffers are useful to applications that require more precise control
over output than MCI offers.
MIDI services. Applications that need the
most precise control of MIDI data typically use these low-level services.
This overview
discusses each of these methods and provides an overview of the the MIDI
Mapper.