Sustainability of Digital Formats: Planning for Library of Congress Collections
Sustainability of Digital Formats: Planning for Library of Congress Collections |
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| Introduction | Sustainability Factors | Content Categories | Format Descriptions | Contact | |
| Full name | RIFF-based MIDI File Format (RMID) |
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| Description | Wrapper format for MIDI data, as first specified by Microsoft, and later extended by MIDI.org (an arm of the MIDI Manufacturers Association) to permit the bundling of both MIDI files and Downloadable Sounds (DLS) files. According to Multimedia Programming Interface and Data Specifications 1.0, August 1991.: "The 'RMID' format consists of a standard MIDI file enclosed in a RIFF chunk. Enclosing the MIDI file in a 'RIFF' chunk allows the file to be consistently identified; for example, an 'INFO' list can be included in the file." |
| Production phase | May be used by composers or arrangers for initial-state activities, in middle-state exchange of data or archiving, or for final-state, end-user delivery. |
| Relationship to other formats | |
| Subtype of | RIFF, RIFF (Resource Interchange File Format) |
| May contain | SMF, Standard MIDI File Format |
| May contain | DLS_1_1b, Downloadable Sounds Format, Version 1.1b |
| LC experience or existing holdings | None |
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| LC preference | None established at this time. It is worth noting that after the MIDI Manufacturers Association developed XMF_1_0 in 2001, they recommend its use in preference to RMID. |
| Disclosure | Fully documented. Initially developed by Microsoft (1991 and before) and extended by MIDI.org (an arm of the MIDI Manufacturers Association). |
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| Documentation | Initial specification as part of the RIFF format in Microsoft Windows Multimedia Programmer's Reference (section 8-31); extended specification available as technical note RP-029, "Bundling SMF and DLS data in an 'RMID' File", originally from MIDI.org, now via Internet Archive. |
| Adoption | Not known to the compiler of this document. |
| Licensing and patents | None |
| Transparency | Transparent wrapper. See also MIDI_SD and DLS_1_1b. |
| Self-documentation | Good potential; see RIFF. |
| External dependencies | See MIDI_SD. |
| Technical protection considerations | None known to the compilers of this document. |
| Sound | |
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| Normal rendering | Not applicable; see MIDI_SD and DLS_1_1b |
| Fidelity (high audio resolution) | Not applicable; see MIDI_SD. |
| Multiple channels | Not applicable; see MIDI_SD. |
| Support for user-defined sounds, samples, and patches | See DLS_1_1b |
| Functionality beyond normal rendering | See MIDI_SD. The compilers of this document have not investigated the degree to which such added functionality is provided by RMID as distinct from other file formats and/or application software. |
| Tag | Value | Note |
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| Filename extension | rmi |
From The File Extension Source. |
| Internet Media Type | audio/mid |
From The File Extension Source. No Internet Media Type listing found at http://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/. |
| Magic numbers | Hex: 52 49 46 46 xx xx xx xx 52 4D 49 44 64 61 74 61 ASCII: RIFF....RMIDdata |
From Gary Kessler's File Signatures Table. |
| RIFF form type | RMID |
| General | |
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| History | The RIFF format specifications were published in 1991 in Microsoft Windows Multimedia Programmer's Reference, with a brief section devoted to RMID (8-31). The extended specification that documented how both MIDI and downloadable sounds could be bundled in an RMID file (technical note RP-029, "Bundling SMF and DLS data in an 'RMID' File"), was published by the MIDI Manusfacturers Association (MMA) in 2000. The co-authors represent IBM Research, Kurzweil, Microsoft, and Sonic Foundry. In 2001, MMA published the XMF_1_0 specification, which they now prefer to RMID. |
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