How To Play The Files

Playing the files

[Updated: 16 April, 2023]

What I provide

For works in-copyright:

  • MP3 files, which you may play online or you can download to your own computer to play or to transfer to a phone/tablet/MP3 player

For works out-of-copyright:

  • MP3 files as above, plus MIDI files, playable online or for download to your own computer. I also provided Avid Scorch files, but Avid have now discontinued Scorch, so I have started to provide Sibelius files; and Music XML files which you can load into most music programs

The Sound Files:

All files are stored in my Dropbox account. Click here for information on how to play (stream) and/or download my files.

If you download the files onto your hard drive, you can load them into the music program of your choice. You can drop MP3s into iTunes and sync them with your phone/tablet/MP3 player. (Don’t be tempted by some browsers which offer to download the MP3s directly into iTunes, as they are only playable from iTunes.)

iOS13.1: Safari: you can now download files directly to Apple devices, and play them with the Music app.

There’s such a variety of smartphones/tablets/desktops/laptops, etc with different operating systems and browsers, that I cannot give specific instructions covering them all. An internet search should provide you with the specifics.

The speed and/or pitch of the files can be adjusted:

Most browsers will allow you to change the speed: on the transport bar at the bottom of the file you are playing, Safari shows a right-arrow to click offering a slower speed of 0.5; Google Chrome shows it as 3 dots vertical dots, and offers slower speed of 0.75 and 0.5. On mobile devices you may need to turn your device on its side (landscape) to see these controls

There are various apps which allow you to adjust the speed and pitch of the files I create.

Using a browser on a desktop or laptop:

  • Audio Speed Changer Download the MP3 to your device. Open Audio Speed Changer in your browser (Chrome is best) then drag and drop the MP3 onto their window
  • For playing through your browser, Alan G. suggests TimeStretch. Just drop your MP3 onto the page.
  • Anelle T. suggests time-stretcher. With this one you have to navigate to where you saved the MP3.
  • For MP3s Windows users, Michel P. suggests these instructions for Windows Media Player.

Apps for mobile devices:

  • Readdle Documents is a free app for iOS devices. It has a browser for you to call up my website. Search for your file in the normal way. Then, clicking on the file will download it directly to your iPhone or iPad.
  • Here’s a Free app for iOS devices: SpeedPitch
  • Here’s a link to a page covering Apps for Android devices
  • David B. highly recommends AudioStretch, for both iOS and Android devices. The free version only plays the first 3 minutes of an MP3 (and videos), but the full version, current price £8.99, will play up to 10 hours!
  • Tony H. suggests using Wiretap Pro.
  • Audio Pitch and Speed Player is available for iOS and Android devices as well as for Apple and Windows desktops. It costs £6.99
  • For out-of-copyright music I provide MIDI files. Val T. suggests Sweet MIDI Player, which allows change of tempo and pitch, and is available for both Windows and Apple users. There’s also Learn My Part.
  • MuseScore3 can load MIDI and Music XML files. This is also available for the desktop.
  • Sibelius (the free cut-down version) can load MIDI and Music XML files, and can also load any Avid Scorch files that I provide.
  • Avid Scorch has recently (Summer 2021) been discontinued, but Sibelius for iPad can load the Avid Scorch files.