Audio and Music

Revision as of 05:15, 8 January 2015

Introduction

Electronic Formats concerned with audio and musical data, including sound recording, instrument control, musical notation, etc.

• For an excellent introduction to the issues around audio and video formats, see A Primer on Codecs for Moving Image and Sound Archives - and 10 Recommendations for Codec Selection & Management PDF version
• Basics of streaming protocols

Audio and sequencer software

• Ableton
  • Ableton Device Group File (.adg)
  • Ableton Device Preset (.adv)
  • Ableton Groove File (.agr)
  • Ableton Live Clip (.alc)
  • Ableton Live Pack (.alp)
  • Ableton Live Set (.als)
  • Ableton Max for Live Device (.amxd)
  • Ableton Skin File (.ask)
  • Ableton Warp Analysis File (.asd)
• Aldrin
  • Creative Commons Module (.ccm)
• Audacity Project Format (.aup)
• Cakewalk
  • Cakewalk Project (CWP) (.cwp)
  • Cakewalk Project (WRK) (.wrk)
  • Cakewalk Sample Definition File (.sfz)
• Cool Edit / Audition Multi Track Session file (.sss)
• CPS project (.cps)
• FruityLoops / FL Studio
  • DrumSynth Preset (.ds)
  • FL Studio Score File (.fsc)
  • FL Studio State File (.fst)
  • Humanize Preset (.fpr)
  • Raw FL Studio Project (.flp)
  • SimSynth Preset (.syn)
  • Speech Preset (.speech)
• GarageBand (Mac) (.band)
• Jacker song
• Jeskola Buzz
  • Jeskola Buzz machine (.dll)
  • Jeskola Buzz machine preset (.prs)
  • Jeskola Buzz song (.bmx)
• LMMS (Linux MultiMedia Studio) (.mmp, .mmpz)
• LOGIC (Logic)
• Make-A-Melody (Big Blue Disk #42) (.mus)
• Piston Collage
  • Piston Collage noise (.ptnoise)
  • Piston Collage song (.ptcop, .pttune)
  • Piston Collage voice (.ptvoice)
• Pro Tools
  • PTS (Pro Tools 7-9)
  • PTX (Pro Tools 10)
• Propellerhead Reason
  • Propellerhead Reason NN-XT Patch File (.sx2)
  • Propellerhead Reason Reason Project File (.rsn)
  • Propellerhead Reason Reason Song File(.rns)
  • Propellerhead Reason REX2 Audio File (.rx2)
  • Propellerhead Reason ReCycle Loop File (.rex)
  • Propellerhead Reason ReFill Sound Bank (.rfl)
• Renoise
  • Renoise song (.xrns)
  • Renoise instrument (.xrni)
  • Renoise DSP device-chain (.xrnt)
• SeaTone
  • SeaTone song (.pxt)
• Steinberg
  • CUBASE
    • ALL - A Steinberg CUBASE VST file for saving songs (pre 2002).
    • ARR - A Steinberg CUBASE VST file for saving arrangements (pre 2002).
    • CPR - A Steinberg CUBASE SX file for saving projects (2002 - ).
    • NPR - A Steinberg NUENDO file for saving arrangements (2002 - ).
  • Wavelab
    • MON (Audio montage)
• (Super) Studio Session song (.sss)

Audio recording and sound waves

• Lossless compression
  • ATRAC Advanced Lossless (.aal)
  • ADA (Advanced Digital Audio)
  • ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec)
  • APAC (Marian's A-pac)
  • Dakx Wav
  • Dolby TrueHD
  • DTS-HD (Lossless variant of DTS- DTS-HD Master Audio)
  • FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec)
  • LA (Lossless Audio)
  • LiteWave
  • LPAC (Lossless Predictive Audio Coding)
  • MLP (Meridian Lossless Packing Audio)
  • Monkey's Audio (.ape)
  • MPEG-4 ALS (MPEG-4 Audio Lossless Coding)
  • MPEG-4 SLS (MPEG-4 Scalable lossless coding mode)
  • OptimFROG (.ofr, .ofs)
  • Perfect Clarity Audio (.pca)
  • RALF (Real Lossless Audio Codec)
  • RK Audio (.rka)
  • Shorten (.shn)
  • Sonarc
  • Split2000
  • TAK (.tak)
  • True Audio (.tta)
  • VocPack
  • WavArc
  • WavPack (.wv)
  • WMA Lossless (Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless)
• Lossy compression
  • AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)
  • Adaptive differential pulse-code modulation
    • ACT
    • MNF (Yamaha ADPCM)
    • SPB (Yamaha ADPCM)
    • VOX
  • ATRAC or Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding (.aa3, .oma, .at3)
  • Audible Audiobook (.aa, .aax)
  • CELT (.ogg)
  • Dolby Digital (AC-3 or ATSC A/52)
  • Digital Theater Systems (.dts)
  • GSM (GSM 6.10 RPE-LTP)
  • MPEG-4 Audio (.m4a, .m4b, .m4p, .m4r, .mp4)
  • M4B (iTunes Audio Book)
  • M4P (Fairplay DRM Encrypted M4A)
  • MP+ (MPEGplus Audio)
  • MP1 (MPEG Audio Layer 1)
  • MP2 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer II)
  • MP3 (MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 Audio Layer III)
  • MPA (MPEG Audio)
  • Musepack Audio (.mpc)
  • Opus (.opus)
  • RealAudio (.ra)
  • Speex (.spx)
  • Vorbis (.logg, .oga, .ogg)
  • WMA (Windows Media Audio)
• Proprietary
  • DCT (Dictation format by NCH Software)
  • Digital Speech Standard (.dss)
  • Digital Voice File (.dvf)
  • IC Sound (.ics)
  • IKLAX (iKlax Media)
  • Memory Stick Voice (.msv)
  • Pono
• Uncompressed audio
  • AIF / AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format)
  • Berkeley/IRCAM/Carl Sound Format (.sf)
  • LPCM (Linear Pulse Code Modulated Audio)
  • RAW (.raw, .pcm)
  • Sony Wave64 (.w64)
  • WAV (Waveform Audio File Format)
• Various encodings
  • AIFC (AIFF Compressed)
  • AU (Sun Microsystems audio format)
  • Computerized Speech Lab NSP (.nsp)
  • Bonk (lossy/lossless audio compression)
  • INRS-Telecom file (.aud)
  • SPPACK (.d)
  • WVE (Psion)

Chiptune

• SAM Coupé song (.cop, .sng)

Container formats

• ASF (Advanced Systems Format)
• Core Audio Format (.caf)
• Extensible Music Format (.xmf)
• Matroska Audio (.mka)
• MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14 media container)
• OGG (.ogg, .oga, .ogx, .spx, .opus)
• Rich Music Format (.rmf)
• RealMedia (.rm)
• WebM (.webm) (also used for video)

Emulated music

• 2SF (Nintendo DS PSF)
• 3G2 (3GPP, also a video format)
• 3GP (3GPP, also a video format)
• Atari SoundHeader (.sndh)
• AY (Amstrad CPC / ZX Spectrum)
• DSF (Dreamcast PSF)
• EPSGMOD (.epsgmod, Mod2PSG)
• Fuxoft AY Language (.fmx)
• GBR (Game Boy Sound)
• Game Boy Sound (.gbs)
• GSF (Game Boy Advance PSF)
• GSR (Gens Sound Record)
• HES (Hudson Entertainment System)
• KSS (MSX)
• KSSX (Possible expansion of KSS)
• MDX (Sharp X68000 / MXDRV)
• NES Sound Format (.nsf)
• NES Sound Format Extended (.nsfe)
• PSF (Portable Sound Format)
• PSF1 (Playstation PSF)
• PSF2 (Playstation 2 PSF)
• QSF (Capcom Q-Sound PSF)
• SGC (Sega Master System / Game Gear / Colecovision)
• SID (Commodore)
• SND (Atari ST)
• SPC (Super Nintendo SPC700)
• SSF (Sega Saturn PSF)
• USF (Nintendo 64 PSF)
• YM (Amstrad CPC / Spectrum ZX / Atari ST)
• ZXAYEMUL Sound (.cpc)

Game audio and music

(see also Game data files)

• 4X IMA ADPCM
• Accolade
  • Accolade MIDI File Format
• Adept Software
  • God of Thunder Music Format
• AFC (AFX Audio File) -- used in Mass Effect 2
• Apogee
  • Crystal Caves Sound format
• Atari
  • Slight Atari Player (Atari POKEY)
• BAF (Blur ADPCM)
• BAKA (PCM 16 bit)
• Bandai
  • WSR (WonderSwan / WonderSwan Color)
• BH2PCM
• BNSF (G.722.1)
• Cave Story
  • Organya
• Commodore Amiga
  • A.M. Composer v1.2 (.amc)
  • AC1D-DC1A Packer (.ac1d)
  • Actionamics Sound Tool (.ast)
  • AMOS Music Bank (.abk)
  • Art & Magic (.aam)
  • Audio Sculpture (.as)
  • Beathoven Synthesiser (.bss)
  • Benn Daglish (.bd)
  • Benn Daglish SID (.bds)
  • Channel Players (.chan)
  • Cinemaware (.cin)
  • Core Design (.core)
  • CustomMade (.cm)
  • Darius Zendeh (.dz)
  • Dave Lowe (.dl)
  • Dave Lowe New (.dln)
  • David Hanney (.dh)
  • David Whittaker (.dw)
  • Desire (.dsr)
  • Digital Illusions (.di)
  • Digital Sonix & Chrome (.dsc)
  • Digital Sound Creations (.han)
  • Dirk Bialluch (.tpu)
  • Dynamic Synthesizer (.dns)
  • Editeur Musical Sequentiel (.ems)
  • Follin Player II (.tf)
  • Fred Editor (.fred)
  • Fred Gray (.fg)
  • Future Player (.fp)
  • FWMP (.fw)
  • Game Music Creator (.gmc)
  • Hippel (.hip)
  • Hippel-COSO (.hipc)
  • Howie Davies (.hd)
  • Images Music System (.ims)
  • Infogrames INS (.ins)
  • Janko Mrsic-Flogel (.jmf)
  • Jason Brooke (.jcb)
  • Jason Page (.jp)
  • Jeroen Tel (.jt)
  • Jesper Olsen (.jo)
  • Jochen Hippel (.hip)
  • Kris Hatlelid (.kh)
  • Leggless Music Editor (.lme)
  • Magnetic Fields Packer (.mfp)
  • Maniacs of Noise (.mon, .jt)
  • Mark Cooksey (.mc)
  • Mark II Sound-System (.mii, .mk2, .mkii)
  • Martin Walker (.mw)
  • MaxTrax (.mxtx)
  • Mike Davies (.md)
  • MMDC (Module packer)
  • Mugician (.mug)
  • Mugician II (.mug2)
  • NovoTrade Packer (.ntp)
  • Pierre Adane Packer (.pap)
  • Professional Sound Artists (.psa)
  • Promizer (.pr1)
  • ProPacker 2.1 (.pp21)
  • ProPacker 3.0 (.pp30)
  • Prorunner 1.0 (.prun)
  • Prorunner 2.0 (.pru2)
  • Richard Joseph or Vectordean (.rjp)
  • Rob Hubbard (.rh, .rho)
  • Ron Klaren (.rk)
  • Sean Connolly (.scn)
  • Sean Conran (.scr)
  • Sidmon (.sid)
  • Sidmon II (.sid2)
  • Silmarils (.mok)
  • Sonic Arranger (.sa)
  • Sound Images (.tw)
  • Sound Master (.sm)
  • Sound Programming Language (.spl)
  • Soundcontrol (.sct)
  • Soundfactory (.psf)
  • SoundPlayer (.sjs)
  • Special FX (.jd)
  • Speedy System (.ss)
  • Steve Barrett (.sb)
  • Steve Turner (.jpo)
  • Synth Dream (.sdr)
  • Synth Pack (.osp)
  • The Musical Enlightenment (.tme)
  • The Player 4.x (.p4x)
  • The Player 6.x (.p6x)
  • Thomas Hermann (.thm)
  • Wally Beben (.wb)
• CRI Middleware
  • ADX
  • AFS (container format for ADX / AHX (CRI))
  • AHX (CRI)
  • AIX
• DCS (ADPCM)
• Death Rally Archive (.bpa)
• DMSG (PCM 16 bit)
• EACS IMA ADPCM (.kcey)
• Electronic Arts
  • 8-Bit Sampled Voice (.8svx, .iff)
  • Asylum Music Format (.amf, used in Crusader: No Remorse / Crusader: No Regret)
  • Electronic Arts AS4 / ASF Music (.as4, .asf)
  • Electronic Arts KSF Music (.ksf)
  • Electronic Arts MUS (.mus)
  • Electronic Arts SCxl
  • Electronic Arts Sound Effects (.bnk, .crd)
  • Electronic Arts Sound / Speech Files (.eas, .sph)
  • IFF (Amiga 8SVX)
  • Sonix Music Driver (.smus)
• EMFF (ADPCM)
• Epic Megagames
  • Epic Megagames MASI (.masi, .psm)
• Final Fantasy XI Music file (.bgw)
• Funcom ISS
• Galaxy Music System
  • Galaxy Music System v4.0
  • Galaxy Music System v5.0 (.j2b)
• GCW (PCM 16 bit)
• Generic Header (.genh, Generic Header Creator)
• Herad Music System
  • Herad Music System AGD (.agd)
  • Herad Music System SDB (.sdb)
  • Herad Music System SQX (.sqx)
• HIS (PCM 8 bit)
• id Software
  • id Software DNF (.dnf)
  • id Software Music Format (.imf)
  • id Software WLF (.wlf)
• IMA ADPCM (.bar, .dvi, .hwas, .idvi, .ivaud, .myspd, .stma, .strm)
• Interplay ACM (.acm)
• Inverse Frequency Sound format
• iXMF (Interactive Extensible Music Format)
• Ken Silverman
  • Ken's Adlib Music (.ksm)
  • Ken's Digital Music (.kdm)
  • SM (Ken Silverman) (.sm)
  • SND (Ken Silverman) (.snd)
• LOUDNESS Sound System (.lds)
• LucasArts
  • LucasArts Adlib Audio (.laa)
  • SCUMM (SCUMM)
• Martin Fernandez (.adlib)
• Microsoft
  • 0x0069 (Xbox ADPCM)
  • 2DX
  • 2DX9 (ADPCM)
  • DE2 (ADPCM)
  • Xbox IMA ADPCM (.matx, .wavm, .wvs, .xmu, .xvas, .xwav)
• Nintendo
  • Advanced Mario Sequencer file (.mss)
  • BRSTMPSM (Super Paper Mario)
  • Donkey Konga 2 DSP (Donkey Konga 2)
  • Mario Paint Composer (MPC)
  • Mario Sequencer file (.msq)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii AAAP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii ADP (Nintendo Gamecube)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii AFC (Nintendo Gamecube)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii AGSC (.agsc)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii AMTS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii ASN (Nintendo Gamecube)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii ASR (Nintendo Wii)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii AST (Nintendo Wii sound format)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii BNS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii BO2
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii BRSTM (Nintendo Wii streaming format)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii CAPDSP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii CFN
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii DDSP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii DSP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii GCA (Nintendo Wii)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii GCM
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii GSP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii HPS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii IDSP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii ISD
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii ISH
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii KRAW (Nintendo Wii)
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii LPS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii MPDS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii MPDSP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii MSS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii MUS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii PDT
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii SDT
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii SMP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii SNS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii SPD
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii SPT
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii SSM
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii STM
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii STR
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii STS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii SWD
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii THP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii TYDSP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii VJDSP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii WAS
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii WSD
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii WSI
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii YDSP
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii YMF
  • Nintendo GameCube / Wii ZWDSP
  • SHI (ShroomTool Instrument, used for Mario Paint instruments)
  • SHO (ShroomTool, used for Mario Paint sounds)
• Origin Software
  • Ultima 6 Music (.m)
• Pixel
  • PMD (Pixel)
• Pixel Painters (.fmf)
• Ragnarok Online 2 RMP
• Shadowlands (.cal)
• Sierra
  • Sierra AGI (Sierra AGI)
  • Sierra SCI (Used in Sierra PC games)
• Sony
  • Sony Playstation ADS (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation ASS (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation AST
  • Sony Playstation BG00
  • Sony Playstation BMDX
  • Sony Playstation CCC (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation CNK
  • Sony Playstation DXH (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation ENTH
  • Sony Playstation FAG (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation FILP
  • Sony Playstation FSB (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation GCM
  • Sony Playstation GMS (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation HGC1
  • Sony Playstation I100 (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation I400 (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation I80 (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation IKM
  • Sony Playstation ILD (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation IVB
  • Sony Playstation JOE
  • Sony Playstation KCES (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation KHV (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation LEG (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation MCG
  • Sony Playstation MI4 (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation MIB (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation MIC (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation MIH
  • Sony Playstation MIHB (merged MIB & MIH)
  • Sony Playstation MSA
  • Sony Playstation MSVP
  • Sony Playstation MUSC
  • Sony Playstation NPSF
  • Sony Playstation PNB
  • Sony Playstation PSH
  • Sony Playstation RKV
  • Sony Playstation RND
  • Sony Playstation RSTM
  • Sony Playstation RWS
  • Sony Playstation SFS
  • Sony Playstation SIR
  • Sony Playstation SL3
  • Sony Playstation SMPL
  • Sony Playstation SND
  • Sony Playstation SPU (Sony Playstation)
  • Sony Playstation STER
  • Sony Playstation STH
  • Sony Playstation STR
  • Sony Playstation STS
  • Sony Playstation SVAG
  • Sony Playstation SVS
  • Sony Playstation TEC
  • Sony Playstation TK5
  • Sony Playstation VAS
  • Sony Playstation VAG
  • Sony Playstation VB2 (Playstation / PS2)
  • Sony Playstation VGS
  • Sony Playstation VIG
  • Sony Playstation VPK
  • Sony Playstation VS
  • Sony Playstation VSF
  • Sony Playstation WP2
  • Sony Playstation XA2
  • Sony Playstation XA30
  • Sony Playstation 2 MI2 (Sony Playstation 2)
• Sound Images Generation 2 (.sig)
• Sound Interface System (.lem)
• Unreal Music Format (.umx)
• Union Logic Software Publishing
  • Vinyl Goddess From Mars Instrument Format
  • Vinyl Goddess From Mars Music Format
• Unique Development Studios (.uds)
• Video Game Music (.vgm, .vgz)
• Westwood Studios
  • Westwood Studios ADL (.adl)
  • Westwood Studios AUD (.aud)
• Whacky Wheels (.klm)
• XMP Game Module (.j2b)

Metadata formats

• APE tag
• Exif
• ID3
• MDZ - strictly not itself a music format, but a metadata file for other music files used by Open Cubic Player. See http://www.cubic.org/player/doc/node72.htm
• Monkey's Audio metadata (.apl)
• Vorbis comment

Music trackers

• 1tracker module (.1tm)
• AHX (Abyss) (Abyss Highest eXperience)
• Aley's Module (.alm)
• All Sound Tracker module (.ast)
• Amiga Module (.mod)
• AProSys module (.aps)
• Archimedes Tracker module
• Arkos Tracker (.aks)
• Art of Noise module (.aon)
• ASC Sound Master module (.asc)
• B's Pro Tracker module (.bpm, .bps)
• Beepola song (.bbsong)
• BeRoTracker module (.br)
• BoyScout Tracker module (.bsf)
• Brian Postma SoundMon
  • Brian Postma SoundMon v1.x module (.bp)
  • Brian Postma SoundMon v2.x & v3.x module (.bp3)
  • BS
• Buzzic
  • Buzzic v1.x (.buz)
  • Buzzic v2.0 (.buz2)
• Chaos Music Composer
  • CM3 (CMC "3/4")
  • CMC (Chaos Music Composer)
  • CMR (CMC "Rzog")
  • CMS (Stereo Double CMC)
  • DMC (Double ChaosMusicComposer)
• Chuck Biscuits/Black Artist module (.cba)
• Coconizer module
• Composer 669 module (.669)
• craptracker ii module (.ct2)
• Custom Amiga Module (.cus. .custom)
• CyberTracker
  • CyberTracker instrument (.ci)
  • CyberTracker module (.ct)
• DeliTracker custom (.cust)
• DeltaMusic module (.dta)
• Delta Music Composer
  • Delta Music Composer module (.dlt)
  • Delta Music 2.0 module (.dl2)
• Desktop Tracker module (.dtt)
• DigiBooster / DigiBooster PRO
  • DigiBooster v1.x module (.digi)
  • DigiBooster PRO v2.x / DigiBooster 3 module (.dbm)
• Digital Symphony module (.dsym)
• Digitrakker
  • Digitrakker instrument (.ist)
  • Digitrakker module (.mdl)
  • Digitrakker sample (.spl)
• DigiTrekker module (.dtm)
• Digital Tracker module (.dtm)
• DisorderTracker 2 module (.plm)
• Dual Module Player DSMI (.amf)
• Eureka Packer module (.eu)
• Extended MOD (.emd)
• Extreme's Tracker module (.ams)
• FAC Soundtracker (MSX, extension unknown)
• Face the Music module (.ftm)
• FamiTracker module (.ftm)
• Farandole Composer
  • Farandole Form 2.0 (.f2r)
  • Farandole Composer module (.far)
  • Farandole Composer pattern (.fpt)
  • Farandole Composer sample (.fsm, .usm)
• Fashion Tracker module (.ex)
• FastTracker / FastTracker 2
  • FastTracker module (.ft, .ftc)
  • Extended instrument (.xi)
  • Extended Module (.xm)
• FC-M Packer module (.fcm)
• Flash Tracker module (.fls)
• Flex Tracker module (.flx)
• Fuchs Tracker (.fchs)
• FunkTracker module (.fnk)
• Future Composer
  • Future Composer v1.x module (.fc)
• Future Composer (BSI)
  • Future Composer (BSI) module
• Fuzzac Packer module (.fuzz)
• General Digital Music module (.gdm)
• GoatTracker module (.sng)
• Grave Composer module (.wow)
• Graoumf Tracker
  • Graoumf Tracker module (.gtk)
  • Graoumf Tracker 2 module (.gt2)
• Global Tracker v1.x module (.gtr)
• HeatSeeker Module Cruncher v1.0 (.crb)
• Hively Tracker module (.hvl)
• Ice Tracker module
• Imago Orpheus module (.imf)
• Impulse Tracker
  • Impulse Tracker module (.it, .itbz, .itgz, .itr, .itz)
  • Impulse Tracker sample (.its)
• JAMCracker Pro module (.jam)
• klystrack
  • klystrack instrument (.ki)
  • klystrack module (.kt)
• KRIS Packer / ChipTracker module (.kris)
• Liquid Tracker
  • Liquid Digitized Sample (.lds)
  • Liquid Tracker module (.liq)
• MadTracker 2
  • MadTracker 2 envelope (.mte)
  • MadTracker 2 extension (.mtx)
  • MadTracker 2 instrument (.mti)
  • MadTracker 2 module (.mt2)
  • MadTracker 2 pattern (.mtp)
  • MadTracker 2 sample (.mts)
• maxYMiser
  • maxYMiser instrument (.myi)
  • maxYMiser module (.snd)
• Megatracker module (.mgt)
• MO3 (MP3 / Vorbis compressed module)
• MOD Edit sample (.sam)
• Module Protector + noID (.mp)
• Moonblaster (MSX)
  • Moonblaster music (.mbm)
  • Moonblaster sample kit (.mbk)
• Multi Track Module (.mtm)
• Muse Tracker / Pornotracker
  • Musetracker / Pornotracker instrument (.poi)
  • Musetracker / Pornotracker module (.pom)
• Music Pro Tracker
  • Music Pro Tracker DoublePlay (.mpd)
  • Music Pro Tracker module (MD1) (.md1)
  • Music Pro Tracker module (MD2) (.md2)
  • Music Pro Tracker module (MPT) (.mpt)
• Nerdtracker II module (.ned)
• NesTracker module (.nest)
• NoisePacker
  • NoisePacker 2.x (.np2)
  • NoisePacker 3.x (.np3)
• NoiseTracker module (.mod)
• Noisetrekker module (.ntk)
• OctaMED
  • OctaMED module (MED) (.med)
  • OctaMED module (MMD1) (.mmd1)
  • OctaMED v2.00 module (.med3)
  • OctaMED v2.10 module (MED4) (.med4)
  • OctaMED v2.10 module (MMD0) (.mmd0)
  • OctaMED v5 module (.mmd2)
  • OctaMED SS module (.mmd3)
• Oktalyzer
  • Oktalyzer module (.okt, .okta)
• Onyx Music File (.omf)
• Open MODPlug Tracker module (.mptm)
• Oracle module (.orc)
• Pha Packer (.pha)
• PlayerPRO
  • Extended PlayerPRO module (.madx)
  • PlayerPRO module (.mad)
• Polly Tracker module
• Pro Sound Creator v1.xx (.psc, ZX Spectrum)
• Pro Sound Maker (.psm)
• Pro Tracker
  • Pro Tracker v1.xx module (.pt1)
  • Pro Tracker v2.xx module (.pt2)
  • Pro Tracker v3.xx module (.pt3)
• Pro Tracker (MSX) (MSX-Music, extension unknown)
• Poly Tracker module (.ptm)
• Pumatracker module (.puma)
• Quadra Composer module (.emod)
• RASTER Music Tracker module (.rmt)
• Real Tracker
  • Real Tracker instrument (.rti)
  • Real Tracker module (.rtm)
  • Real Tracker sample (.rts)
• Renoise
  • Renoise Song (NTK) (.ntk)
  • Renoise Song (PTK (.ptk)
  • Renoise Song (RNS (.rns)
  • Renoise Song (XRNS) (.xrns)
• SBStudio module (.pac, .son, .sou)
• SCC Blaffer NT
  • SCC Blaffer NT music (.sbm, MSX)
  • SCC Blaffer NT instrument kit (.sbk)
• Scream Tracker
  • Scream Tracker Music Interface Kit module
  • Scream Tracker 1 & 2 module (.stm)
  • Scream Tracker 3 Adlib module (.as3m)
  • Scream Tracker 3 module (.s3m)
  • Scream Tracker 3 / DigiTracker sample (.s31)
  • Scream Tracker 3 / DigiTracker sample (.smp)
• SoundFX module (.sfx, .sfx2)
• Sound Tracker
  • Soundtracker v2.6 / Ice Tracker module (.mtn)
  • SoundTracker v2.6 module (.st26)
  • Sound Tracker / Super Sonic module (.stc)
  • Sound Tracker Pro module (.stp)
• SoundSmith module (.mtp)
• Soundtrakker
  • Soundtrakker 128 instrument (.ins)
  • Soundtrakker 128 module (.128)
  • Soundtrakker v1.x instrument (.ins)
  • Soundtrakker v1.x module (.sng)
• SQ-Tracker module (.sqt)
• Starkos Tracker module (.sks)
• StarTrekker / Star Tracker module (.mod, .nt)
• SunVox module (.sunvox)
• TFMX
  • TFMX pattern data (.mdat)
  • TFMX 7V pattern data (.mdat)
  • TFMX Pro pattern data (.mdat)
  • TFMX sample data (.smpl)
• Theta Music Composer
  • Theta Music Composer 8-channel stereo module (.tm8)
  • Theta Music Composer v1.x module (.tmc)
  • Theta Music Composer v2.x module (.tm2)
• Trackerpacker 3 module (.tp3)
• Ultra Tracker (.ult)
• Velvet Studio AMS v1.x module (.ams)
• VIC-TRACKER module (.vt)
• Vortex Tracker module (.vtx)
• X-Tracker
  • D-Lusion Music File (.dmf)
  • D-Lusion Sound File (.dms)

Musical instrument control

• ELECTONE - For Yamaha Electone Range Electronic Organs
  • BOO - Part of the ELECTONE format.
  • EVT - Part of the ELECTONE format.
• MIDI & Clones
  • GMD (MIDI clone)
  • HMI (MIDI clone)
  • HMP (MIDI clone)
  • HMZ (Compressed MIDI)
  • KAR (MIDI Audio)
  • MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
  • MIDS (MIDI clone)
  • MIZ (Compressed MIDI)
  • MSS (MIDI Clone)
  • Scalable Polyphony MIDI
  • XMI (Extended MIDI)
  • ZIPI (proposed MIDI replacement)
• Hardware specific
  • AdLib Sound Cards
    • AdLib instrument (.ins)
    • AdLib instrument bank (.bnk)
    • AdLib MSCplay (.msc)
    • AdLib music (.mus)
    • Adlib Tracker
      • Adlib Tracker instrument (.ins)
      • Adlib Tracker module (.sng)
      • Adlib Tracker II instrument (.a2i)
      • Adlib Tracker II instrument with fm-register macro (.a2f)
      • Adlib Tracker II instrument bank (.a2b)
      • Adlib Tracker II instrument bank with macros (.a2w)
      • Adlib Tracker II module (.a2m)
      • Adlib Tracker II pattern (.a2p)
      • Adlib Tracker II tiny module (.a2t)
    • AdLib Visual Composer / Roland Synthesizer song (.rol)
    • AMusic
      • AMusic module (.amd)
      • AMusic XMS (.xms)
    • Beni Tracker module (.pis)
    • Bob's Adlib Music (.bam)
    • Boom Tracker v4.0
      • Boom Tracker v4.0 instrument (.cif)
      • Boom Tracker v4.0 module (.cff)
    • DeFy Adlib Tracker module (.dtm)
    • Digital FM module (.dfm)
    • Drum Traker module (.dtl)
    • EdLib packed module (.d00)
    • Exotic AdLib module (.xad)
    • Extra Simple Music (.xsm)
    • Faust Music Creator module (.sng)
    • FM Tracker module (.fmt)
    • FM-Kingtracker
      • FM-Kingtracker bank (.fib)
      • FM-Kingtracker instrument (.fin)
      • FM-Kingtracker module (.fmk)
    • HSC AdLib Composer / HSC-Tracker
      • HSC AdLib Composer / HSC-Tracker module (.hsc)
      • HSC AdLib Composer / HSC-Tracker packed module (.hsp)
    • JBM Adlib Music (.jbl)
    • JCH
      • JCH-D00 (.d00)
      • JCH-D01 (.d01)
    • Johannes Bjerregård module (.jbm)
    • Master Tracker module (.mtr)
    • MK-Jamz audio (.mkj)
    • Mlat Adlib Tracker module (.mad)
    • MPU-401 Trakker module (.mtk)
    • Palladix module (.plx)
    • RAW (AdLib Sound Card)
    • Reality AdLib Tracker module (.rad)
    • SNG Player module (.sng)
    • Surprise! Adlib Tracker
      • Surprise! AdLib Tracker v1, 5, 6 module (.sat)
      • Surprise! Adlib Tracker v2.0 (.sa2)
    • Twin TrackPlayer module (.dmo)
    • Vibrants module (.vib)
    • XMS-Tracker module (.xms)
  • Akai
    • Akai S-series MESA multi file (.mlt)
    • Akai S-series MESA I program (.prg)
    • Akai S-series MESA II program (.s3p)
  • Codisk Audio File
  • Creative Labs
    • Creative Music Format (.cmf)
    • Creative Voice File
    • Sound Blaster Instrument (.sbi)
  • Disney Sound Source
  • DOSBox Raw OPL (.dro)
  • Downloadable Sounds Banks (.dls)
  • Gravis Ultrasound
    • UltraSound GF1 patch (.pat)
  • Instrument Bank (Instrument Bank)
  • Software Music Synthesis System (for 8080/Z-80 systems with S-100 bus)
  • TRS-80 Orchestra-90 (.orc)
  • Voice Sequence (.vsq)
  • Yamaha sound chips
    • Callus OPL Register Log (YM2151, .cym)
    • GYM (YM2612 / Sega Genesis)
• Software Synthesizers
  • Farbrausch BR404 music (.bmf)
  • iZotope iDrum (.idrum)
  • Native Instruments
    • Native Instruments Reaktor ensemble (.ens)
  • Steinberg VST Presets
    • FXB (Bank of presets)
    • FXP (single preset)

Musical notation

• Guitar tablatures
  • ASCII tab (.tab, .btab, .txt)
  • Guitar Pro (.gtp)
    • Guitar Pro 3 (.gp3)
    • Guitar Pro 4 (.gp4)
    • Guitar Pro 5 (.gp5)
    • Guitar Pro 6 (.gp6)
  • KGuitar (.kg)
  • Power Tab (.ptb)
  • Progression
  • Rich MIDI Tablature Format (.rmtf)
  • TablEdit (.tef)
  • VexTab

• Musical notation
  • ABC (musical notation)
  • Capella
    • CAP
    • CapXML (.capx)
  • ChordML
  • Copyist
    • CP4
    • CP6
  • Encore (.enc)
  • Extensible Music Notation Markup Language
  • Finale (.mus)
  • Forte (.fnf)
  • Guido
    • GUIDO
    • GUIDO XML
  • JMSL
    • JMSL
    • JMSL Score
  • JScoreML
  • LilyPond
  • MEI
  • MHTML
  • MidiXML
  • minimusic
  • MPEG4-SMR
  • Mup
  • MuseScore
    • MSC -(old file format)
    • MSCX - XML file format
    • MSCZ - GZIP compressed MSCX
  • Music Description Language
  • Music Markup Language
  • Music Time (.mus)
  • Music Time Pro (.mts)
  • Musical Notation Markup Language
  • MusicML
  • MusicWrite (.mwk)
  • MusicXML
  • MusicXML compressed (.mxl)
  • Musink (.musink)
  • MusiqueXML
  • MusiXML
  • Myriad Software (.msf)
  • NeumesXML
  • Neuratron Photoscore Format (.opt)
  • Notation Interchange File Format
  • NoteAbility Pro
  • Noteworthy Composer and Music Publisher (.nwc)
  • NoteWriter
  • Notion
  • NtEd
  • Overture (.ove)
  • PriMus
  • Rhapsody Notation Program File (.rhp)
  • Rosegarden (.rg)
  • QuickScore Elite (.qsd)
  • SCORE (.mus)
  • Score Perfect (.spp)
  • ScoreML
  • ScoreWriter (.scw)
  • Sibelius
  • SMDL
  • SongWrite
  • Studio Session Song (.sss)
  • Theta
  • Tilia
  • Virtual Musician Markup Language
  • WEDELMUSIC
  • XMF
  • XMusic
  • XScore (eXtensible Score Language)

Playlists, music libraries, music store downloaders

• Amazon downloader file (.amz)
• B4S (Winamp 3 playlist)
• FPL (foobar2000 playlist)
• iTunes Music Library
• KPL (Kazaa Playlist Format)
• M3U (Multimedia Playlist Format)
• MOD4WIN Module List (.mol)
• PLS (Multimedia Playlist)
• WPL (Windows Media Playlist)

Programming languages (music-specific)

• Music Macro Language
• WaveGL

Ringtones

• i Melody
• M4R (Apple iPhone Ringtones - see M4A)
• Polyphonic ringtone
• RTTTL

Sound card related formats

• CMS (Creative Music System)

Unclassified (need to move to other categories)

• ACM (Audio Compression Manager)
• ADM (ADM Audio File)
• B1S
• BDSP (BotDetect Sound Package)
• BVG
• CBD2
• DSM (DSIK Internal)
• DSPW
• DTK
• FFW
• First Rate Music Hall (.pck, MSX-Music song editor using Music Macro Language)
• GBTS
• GCUB
• GSB
• HLWAV
• IAB
• IADP
• INT (RAW File)
• ISWS
• JSTM
• KOVS
• MA (Music Assembler)
• Maestro (RISC OS)
• MNSTR
• MSF
• MTAF
• Rhapsody 2 (RISC OS)
• Rhapsody 3/4 (RISC OS, .c00)
• S98 (NEC PC-98)
• SD (ESPS sampled data file)
• SFARK (SoundFont archive compressed file)
• SoundFont 1.0
• SoundFont 2.0 (.sf2)
• SGI (Sound Generator 3.0 instrument)
• SNG (SCC Musixx)
• Sound Effect Editor (.see, MSX)
• TFMX (TFMX)
• Vivaldi (RISC OS)

See the Open Cubic Player homepage for a list of demo formats: http://www.cubic.org/player/features.html

See also Piano Rolls (which is under the Physical File Formats).

Links

• Kickstarting free, open recordings of Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1"
• MPC-HC: media player for Windows handling just about all video/audio formats
• How Music Works
• Some discussion of "advanced music formats" from 1994
• FAQ on audio file formats (1992-07-09)
• Chiptune version of Talking Heads song
• Beatles 3000: humorous video of how the future might misunderstand 20th century pop culture if artifacts decay as happened in the past
• The Music Written on This Dude's Butt
• "Eye of the tiger" played on a modified dot matrix printer
• A Short History of Hardcore Chipmusic
• You Need to Hear This Extremely Rare Recording
• Library of Congress Recommended Format Specifications: Audio Works
• In a bid for more emotional snacking, Frito-Lay patents culinary theme songs
• Scientists reconstruct speech through soundproof glass by watching a bag of potato chips
• Apple releases tool to remove free U2 album (which they gave you whether you wanted it or not)
• Excel sheet that plays video and audio
• Web Audio API (W3C)
• Why Collecting Matters: Citizen Archivists and the Battle for Future Pasts
• MediaInfo: software that shows metadata for audio/video files