Mplay is a MIDI player written in pure Python. It runs on OS X, Windows and Linux. Apart from an OpenGL wrapper (for the GUI part), there are no dependencies on other packages. Mplay has been tested with Python 2.7.5, 3.3.2 and PyOpenGL 3.0.2.

Hightlights:

• Full functional MIDI player
• Mixer with mute and solo options
• Ability to change channel parameters (delay, chorus, reverb, pan)
• Volume sliders
• Pulldown menus for GM instrument sounds
• MIDI VU meter
• Show note, chord and lyrics information
• Change key, tempo
• Transport controls
• Keyboard shortcuts

Tips and Tricks:

Mac OS X and Windows systems come with a builtin software synthesizer (Apple DLS SoftSynth, Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth). On those systems Mplay runs out of the box. For Linux, however, it might be necessary to start a TiMidity++ server:

# sudo modprobe snd_virmidi
# timidity -iAqqq &
TiMidity starting in ALSA server mode
Opening sequencer port: 128:0 128:1 128:2 128:3
# aconnect -o
client 0: 'System' [type=kernel]
    0 'Timer           '
    1 'Announce        '
client 14: 'Midi Through' [type=kernel]
    0 'Midi Through Port-0'
client 20: 'Virtual Raw MIDI 1-0' [type=kernel]
    0 'VirMIDI 1-0     '
client 21: 'Virtual Raw MIDI 1-1' [type=kernel]
    0 'VirMIDI 1-1     '
client 22: 'Virtual Raw MIDI 1-2' [type=kernel]
    0 'VirMIDI 1-2     '
client 23: 'Virtual Raw MIDI 1-3' [type=kernel]
    0 'VirMIDI 1-3     '
# aconnect 20:0 128:0

For Mac OS X you can easily build a standalone application:

virtualenv python
source python/bin/activate
pip install py2app
pip install PyOpenGL
pip install pyobjc-framework-cocoa
python setup.py py2app
dropdmg dist/mplay.app --layout-name='Mac App' --destination=`pwd`

Links:

Mplay website

Barcamp talk 2013