Audio and Music

File Format
Name	Audio and Music
Ontology	Electronic File Formats Audio and Music
Musical notation

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

For additional multimedia formats that may contain audio, see Video.

Introduction

• 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

Album formats

(files containing entire music albums, with some track structure)

• Connected Media Experience (CME, CMX)
• iTunes LP

Audio and sequencer software

• Ableton
  • Ableton Live
• Adobe Audition
  • Cool Edit / Audition Multi Track Session file (.ses)
  • Audition (.sesx)
• Aldrin
  • Creative Commons Module (.ccm)
• Audacity Project Format (.aup)
  • Audacity AU (.au)
• Cakewalk
  • Cakewalk Bundle (BUN) (.bun)
  • Cakewalk Bundle (CWB) (.cwb)
  • Cakewalk Dump Request Macro (.drm)
  • Cakewalk Instrument Definition File (.ins)
  • Cakewalk Project (CWP) (.cwp)
  • Cakewalk Project (WRK) (.wrk)
  • Cakewalk Sample Definition File (.sfz)
• CPS project (.cps)
• DeLuxe Music Score
• Digital Performer
• Dynamic Studio Professional module
• FruityLoops / FL Studio
  • BeatCreator/BeatSlicer Grid File (.zgr)
  • 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)
  • GarageBand project (.band, .gbproj)
  • Magic GarageBand template (.wand)
  • GarageBand MagicMentor template (.mwand)
• Hydrogen (.h2song, .h2pattern)
• iZotope RX (.rxdoc)
• Jeskola Buzz
  • Jeskola Buzz machine (.dll)
  • Jeskola Buzz machine preset (.prs, .prs.xml)
  • Jeskola Buzz song (.bmx, .bmw)
• LMMS (Linux MultiMedia Studio) (.mmp, .mmpz)
• Logic Pro / Logic / Notator Logic
  • Logic Pro project file (.logic, .logicx)
• Maestro (RISC OS)
• Make-A-Melody (Big Blue Disk #42) (.mus)
• Nero SoundTrax (.npf)
• Nero WaveEditor (.nwf)
• Piston Collage / PxTone
  • Piston Collage noise (.ptnoise)
  • Piston Collage song (.ptcop, .pttune)
  • Piston Collage voice (.ptvoice)
• Pro Tools
  • Pro Tools (Mac) (.pt5, .p24, .pt4, .pt3)
  • PTS (Pro Tools 5.1-6.9)
  • PTF (Pro Tools 7-9)
  • PTX (Pro Tools 10)
• Propellerhead (Reason, ReCycle)
  • Propellerhead Reason NN-XT Patch File (.sx2)
  • Propellerhead Reason Project File / song file (.reason, .rns, others)
  • Propellerhead Reason ReFill Sound Bank (.rfl)
  • Propellerhead ReCycle Loop File (.rex)
  • Reason Studios REX2 Audio File (.rx2)
• Reaper Project (.rpp)
• Renoise
  • Renoise song (.xrns)
  • Renoise instrument (.xrni)
  • Renoise DSP device-chain (.xrnt)
• Roxio
  • DMSE (Sound Editor project)
  • DMSA (Music Disc Creator project)
• SeaTone / PixTone
  • PXT (.pxt)
• Sonic Foundry Acid (.acd)
• SoundDesigner II (.sd2)
• Soundtrack Pro (.stmp)
• 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 - ).
  • Nuendo
    • NPR - A Steinberg Nuendo file for saving arrangements (2002 - ).
  • WaveLab
    • MON (Audio montage)
• (Super) Studio Session song (.sss)
• Waveburner (.wb3)

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)
  • G.711
  • G.729
  • HALAC
  • Kexis (.kxs)
  • LA (Lossless Audio)
  • LiteWave
  • LPAC (Lossless Predictive Audio Coding)
  • MKW
  • 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)
  • MQA (Master Quality Authenticated)
  • 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
    • ADPCM-A (Yamaha)
    • ADPCM-B (Yamaha)
    • VOX
  • Adaptive Multi-Rate WideBand Audio
  • Adaptive Multi-Rate Audio (.amr)
  • Archimedes VIDC audio
  • ATRAC or Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding (.aa3, .oma, .at3)
  • Audible Audiobook (.aa, .aax)
  • Audition Loop (.cel)
  • CELT (.ogg)
  • Digital Theater Systems (.dts)
  • Dolby Digital (AC-3 or ATSC A/52)
  • Encodec (.ecdc)
  • GSM (GSM 6.10 RPE-LTP)
  • LB (Low Bitrate)
  • M4B (iTunes Audio Book)
  • M4P (Fairplay DRM Encrypted M4A)
  • MP1: See MPEG Audio Layer I
  • MP2: See MPEG Audio Layer II
  • MP3 (MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 Audio Layer III)
    • packMP3
    • mp3PRO
    • MP3 wrapper - reversibly combine mp3 files into one playable mp3 (often used on filesharing services that banned other formats like zip/rar)
      • zip/rar.mp3
      • AlbumWrap (ALBW)
      • MooseWrap (DJWrap)
      • Mp3Wrap
      • Track Wrapper (TRKW)
      • MP3 Album Maker
      • M3A
      • Wrapster (when adding MP3 files to a wrapped MP3 file)
  • MPA (MPEG Audio): See MPEG Audio Layer II
  • MP+ (MPEGplus Audio): See Musepack Audio
  • MPEG-4 Audio: Can refer to various formats connected with MPEG-4, including AAC. (.m4a, .m4b, .m4p, .m4r, .mp4, .aac)
  • MPEG Audio Layer I (MP1)
  • MPEG Audio Layer II (MP2; MPEG-1 Audio Layer II)
  • Musepack Audio (.mpc)
  • Opus (.opus)
  • Quite OK Audio (.qoa)
  • RealAudio (.ra)
  • Speex (.spx)
  • SWA
  • 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)
  • Panasonic VM1 (.vm1)
  • Pono
  • PXD
  • RCA-VOC (.voc)
• Separated parts of tracks
  • Stems
• Uncompressed audio
  • AIF / AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format)
  • Berkeley/IRCAM/Carl Sound Format (.sf)
  • BWF (Broadcast Wave Format; variant of WAV)
  • DSD (Direct Stream Digital) (.dsf)
  • RAW (.raw, .pcm)
  • RF64 (extended variant of BWF)
  • Sony Wave64 (.w64)
  • WAV (Waveform Audio File Format)
• Various encodings
  • AIFC (AIFF Compressed)
  • AU (Sun Microsystems audio format)
  • Computerized Speech Lab NSP (.nsp)
  • DiamondWare Digitized (.dwd)
  • Bonk (lossy/lossless audio compression)
  • INRS-Telecom file (.aud)
  • SIFF (.son)
  • SPPACK (.d)
  • WVE (Psion)

Chiptune

• SAM Coupé song (.cop, .sng)

Configuration files

• X2A (Yamaha S70xs/S90xs keyboard workstations)

Container formats

• AAF (Advanced Authoring Format)
• ASF (Advanced Systems Format)
• Core Audio Format (.caf)
• Extensible Music Format (.xmf)
• IFF
• Matroska Audio (.mka)
• MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14 media container)
• Ogg (.ogg, .oga, .ogx, .spx, .opus)
• OMF Interchange (Open Media Framework Interchange format)
• Qualcomm QCP (Purevoice)
• Rich Music Format (.rmf)
• RealMedia (.rm)
• WAV
• 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 / ZXAYEMUL)
• AZX (ZX Spectrum)
• Custom Amiga Module (CUST)
• DSF (Dreamcast PSF)
• EPSGMOD (.epsgmod, Mod2PSG)
• Fuxoft AY Language (.fmx)
• Game Boy Sound (.gbs)
• GBR (Game Boy Sound)
• Gens Sound Record (GSR)
• GSF (Game Boy Advance PSF)
• HES (Hudson Entertainment System)
• KSS (MSX)
• KSSX (Possible expansion of KSS)
• MDX (Sharp X68000 / MXDRV)
• NES Sound Format (.nsf)
• NES Sound Format Extended (.nsfe)
• NSD
• PSF (Portable Sound Format)
• PSF1 (Playstation PSF)
• PSF2 (Playstation 2 PSF)
• QSF (Capcom Q-Sound PSF)
• SC68 (Atari ST / Atari STE / Amiga)
• SGC (Sega Master System / Game Gear / Colecovision)
• SID (Commodore 64)
• SPC (Super Nintendo SPC700)
• SSF (Sega Saturn PSF)
• USF (Nintendo 64 PSF)
• YM (Amstrad CPC / Spectrum ZX / Atari ST)

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)
  • AMOS Samples Bank (.abk)
  • Art & Magic (.aam)
  • Audio Sculpture (.as)
  • Beathoven Synthesiser (.bss)
  • Ben Daglish (.bd)
  • Ben Daglish SID (.bds)
  • Ben Replay (.ben)
  • 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)
  • Gnu Player (.gp)
  • Hippel (.hip)
  • Hippel-COSO (.hipc)
  • Hornet Packer (.hrt)
  • Howie Davies (.hd)
  • IFF-MAUD
  • 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)
  • Kefrens Sound Machine (.ksm)
  • 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)
  • NoiseRunner (.nr)
  • NovoTrade Packer (.ntp)
  • Pierre Adane Packer (.pap)
  • Power Music (.pm)
  • Professional Sound Artists (.psa)
  • Promizer 0.1 (.pm01)
  • Promizer 1.0c (.pm10)
  • Promizer 1.8a (.pm18)
  • Promizer 2.0 (.pm20)
  • Promizer 4.0 (.pm40)
  • ProPacker 1.0 (.pp10)
  • ProPacker 2.1 (.pp21)
  • ProPacker 3.0 (.pp30)
  • Prorunner (.prun1, .prun2)
  • Richard Joseph or Vectordean (.rjp)
  • Rob Hubbard (.rh, .rho)
  • Ron Klaren (.rk)
  • Sean Connolly (.scn)
  • Sean Conran (.scr)
  • Sidmon (.sid, .sid2)
  • Silmarils (.mok)
  • SKYT Packer (.skyt)
  • 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)
• Star Trekker Packer (.stpk)
  • Synth Dream (.sdr)
  • Synth Pack (.osp)
  • The Musical Enlightenment (.tme)
  • The Player (.p22a, .p30a, .p40a, .p40b, .p50a, .p60a, .p61a)
  • Titanics Player (.ttp)
  • Tracker Packer 1 (.tp1)
  • Tracker Packer 2 (.tp2)
  • Tracker Packer 3 (.tp3)
  • Thomas Hermann (.thm)
  • Wally Beben (.wb)
  • Wanton Packer (.wn)
  • XANN Packer (.xann)
  • Zen Packer (.zen)
• 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 CMV
  • Electronic Arts KSF Music (.ksf)
  • Electronic Arts MAD
  • Electronic Arts MUS (.mus)
  • Electronic Arts SCxl
  • Electronic Arts Sound Effects (.bnk, .crd)
  • Electronic Arts Sound / Speech Files (.eas, .sph)
  • Electronic Arts TGV
  • Electronic Arts WVE
  • IFF (Amiga 8SVX)
    • IFF-MAUD
  • Sonix Music Driver (.smus)
• EMFF (ADPCM)
• Epic Megagames
  • Epic Megagames MASI (.masi, .psm)
• Final Fantasy XI Music file (.bgw)
• FMOD Sample Bank (.fsb)
• 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
  • Doom MUS
  • 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)
• Mojang AB (Minecraft)
  • Minecraft sounds.json

• Origin Software
  • Ultima 6 Music (.m)
• PC-98 and PC-88
  • Professional Music Driver PMD (.m, .m2)
• Pixel
  • PMD (Pixel)
• Pixel Painters (.fmf)
• Ragnarok Online 2 RMP
• Shadowlands (.cal)
• Sierra
  • Sierra AGI (Sierra AGI)
  • Sierra SCI (Used in Sierra PC games)
• Sound Images Generation 2 (.sig)
• Sound Interface System (.lem)
• STOS memory bank (.mbk)
• 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)

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) (.adp)
• 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)

Sony

• ADS (PlayStation)
• ASS (PlayStation)
• AST (PlayStation)
• BG00 (PlayStation)
• BMDX (PlayStation)
• CCC (PlayStation)
• CNK (PlayStation)
• DXH (PlayStation)
• ENTH (PlayStation)
• FAG (PlayStation)
• FILP (PlayStation)
• FSB (PlayStation)
• GCM (PlayStation)
• GMS (PlayStation)
• HGC1 (PlayStation)
• I100 (PlayStation)
• I400 (PlayStation)
• I80 (PlayStation)
• IKM (PlayStation)
• ILD (PlayStation)
• IVB (PlayStation)
• JOE (PlayStation)
• KCES (PlayStation)
• KHV (PlayStation)
• LEG (PlayStation)
• MCG (PlayStation)
• MI4 (PlayStation)
• MIB (PlayStation)
• MIC (PlayStation)
• MIH (PlayStation)
• MIHB (PlayStation) (merged MIB (PlayStation) & MIH (PlayStation))
• MSA (PlayStation)
• MSVP (PlayStation)
• MUSC (PlayStation)
• NPSF (PlayStation)
• PNB (PlayStation)
• PSH (PlayStation)
• RKV (PlayStation)
• RND (PlayStation)
• RSTM (PlayStation)
• RWS (PlayStation)
• SFS (PlayStation)
• SIR (PlayStation)
• SL3 (PlayStation)
• SMPL (PlayStation)
• SND (PlayStation)
• SPU (PlayStation)
• STER (PlayStation)
• STH (PlayStation)
• STR (PlayStation)
• STS (PlayStation)
• SVAG (PlayStation)
• SVS (PlayStation)
• TEC (PlayStation)
• TK5 (PlayStation)
• VAS (PlayStation)
• VAG (PlayStation)
• VB2 (PlayStation & PS2)
• VGS (PlayStation)
• VIG (PlayStation)
• VPK (PlayStation)
• VS (PlayStation)
• VSF (PlayStation)
• WP2 (PlayStation)
• XA2 (PlayStation)
• XA30 (PlayStation)
• MI2 (PS2)

Identifiers of musical works, recordings, artists, etc.

• International Standard Musical Work Code (ISWC)
• International Standard Recording Code (ISRC)
• MusicBrainz Identifier

Karaoke

• CD+G
• UltraStar Karaoke

Metadata formats and related data

• APE tag
• Argoknot
• Cue Sheet - See CUE and BIN
• ELAN Annotation Format
• Exif
• Zoom Project Settings (.hprj)
• ID3
• MDZ
• Monkey's Audio metadata (.apl)
• Vorbis comment

Music trackers

(For more on this subject, listen to Jason Scott Talks His Way Out Of It: The Music Tracker Episode.)

• 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 (.musx)
• 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
  • FamiTracker module (.ftm)
  • FamiTracker instrument (.fti)
• 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 v1.3 module (.fc13)
  • Future Composer v1.4 module (.fc14)
• 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)
• jacker-tracker
  • Jacker song
• 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)
• Microdeal Quartet
  • 4V
• MONOTONE (.mon, .pit, .frq)
• 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)
• Music Studio, The (Activision / Audio Light) (.sng, .song, .mss, .snd, .sound)
• 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)
  • MED Packer (.mmdc)
• 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
• Poly Tracker module (.ptm)
• Polytone (.pol)
• 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)
• 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 (XRNS) (.xrns)
  • Renoise instrument (XRNS) (.xrni)
  • Renoise effect chain (XRNT) (.xrnt)
  • Renoise Song (NTK) (.ntk)
  • Renoise Song (PTK) (.ptk)
  • Renoise Song (RNS) (.rns)
• 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)
• SMUS
• 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, .flt4)
• 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)
• Unic Tracker 1.0 (.unic1)
• Unic Tracker 2.0 (.unic2)
• Ultra Tracker (.ult)
• Velvet_Studio (.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
  • Compact MIDI
  • GMD (MIDI clone)
  • Gravis Ultrasound patch (used by MIDI synthesizers)
  • HMI (MIDI clone)
  • HMP (MIDI clone)
  • HMZ (Compressed MIDI)
  • KAR (MIDI Audio)
  • MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
    • MIDI Instrument Definition File
  • MIDS (MIDI clone)
  • MIZ (Compressed MIDI)
  • MSS (MIDI Clone)
  • RIFF MIDI
  • RIFF MIDS
  • Sample Vision (.smp)
  • Scalable Polyphony MIDI
  • sfArk (SoundFont archive compressed file)
  • SoundFont 1.0 (.sbk)
  • SoundFont 2.0 (.sf2)
  • Synthetic Music Application Format
  • 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)
  • Ensoniq Concert Wavetable (.ecw)
  • 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)
• E-Seq Yamaha (.fil, .esq)

Musical notation

• Drum tablature
• 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)
  • ANSI Music
  • Capella
    • CAP
    • CapXML (.capx)
  • ChordML
  • ConcertWare
  • Copyist
    • CP4
    • CP6
  • Dorico (.dorico)
  • Encore (.enc)
  • Extended Notation Format (.enf)
  • Extensible Music Notation Markup Language
  • Finale (.etf, .mus, .musx)
  • Forte (.fnf)
  • Guido
    • GUIDO
    • GUIDO XML
  • JMSL
    • JMSL
    • JMSL Score
  • JScoreML
  • LilyPond
  • MEI
  • MHTML
  • MidiXML
  • minimusic
  • MPEG4-SMR
  • Mup
  • MuseScore
    • MSCX - XML file format
    • MSCZ - ZIP 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)
  • Rhapsody 2/3 (RISC OS. Unrelated to the above "Rhapsody Notation Program File")
  • Rhapsody 4 (RISC OS, .c00)
  • Rosegarden (.rg)
  • QuickScore Elite (.qsd)
  • SCORE (.mus)
  • Score Perfect (.spp)
  • ScoreML
  • ScoreWriter (.scw)
  • Sibelius
  • SMDL
  • SongWrite
  • Studio Session Song (.sss)
  • Theta
  • Tilia
  • VexTab
  • 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
• Kapsule (Kazaa XML Manifest)
• KPL (Kazaa Playlist Format)
• M3U (Multimedia Playlist Format)
• MAGMA (Magnet URI)
• MOD4WIN Module List (.mol)
• MusicBee Library (.mbl)
• PLS (Multimedia Playlist)
• RAM (RealAudio)
• SMIL (W3C open standard)
• Windows Media Metafile (.asx, .wax, .wxv)
• Windows Media Playlist (.wpl)
• XML Sharable Playlist

Programming languages and APIs (audio/music-specific)

• ChucK (.ck)
• Csound (.csd, .orc, .sco)
• Cycling 74 Max (.maxpat, .max)
• FAUST (.dsp)
• Music Macro Language
• Native Instruments Reaktor (.rkplr)
• Pure Data (.pd)
• Scala (music software) (.kbm, .scl, .cmd)
• SuperCollider (.scd, .sc)
• WaveGL
• Web Audio API

Ringtones

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

Signal processing

These aren't specific file formats, but generic mathematical methods used by other file formats.

• A-law
• ADPCM
• DPCM
• LPCM
• Pulse code modulation
• µ-law (u-law)

Software

Refer to Audio software.

Sound card related formats

• CMS (Creative Music System)

Speech synthesis

• Microsoft TTS voice data (.vce, .spd)
• Microsoft TTS voice definition (.cfg, .sdf)
• Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML)
• TextGrid
• VoiceDescription (OS X)

Unclassified (need to move to other categories)

• ACM (Audio Compression Manager)
• ADM (ADM Audio File)
• AIL real mode driver
• Audfprint fingerprint file (.afpk)
• AVR
• B1S
• BDSP (BotDetect Sound Package)
• BVG
• CBD2
• CLF
  • Common Loudspeaker Format
  • Common Instrument Format
• DeskMate Music (.sng)
• DeskMate Sound (.snd)
• DIGPAK sound driver
• DSM (DSIK Internal)
• DSPW
• DTK
• EUPHONY (FM Towns computer system)
• 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)
• Micronas SC4
• MNSTR
• MSF
• MT9
• MTAF
• Photo CD Audio
• S98 (NEC PC-98)
• SD (ESPS sampled data file)
• Sound Description Interchange Format (SDIF)
• SGI (Sound Generator 3.0 instrument)
• SNG (SCC Musixx)
• Sound Effect Editor (.see, MSX)
• SoundHelix XML
• TFMX (TFMX)
• Vivaldi (RISC OS)
• Zsound Music

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
• Save our Sounds
• David Systems tools: includes online loudness analysis of sound files
• The next Web standard could be music notation
• How Oldschool Sound/Music worked (video)
• Understanding surround sound formats
• Reverse engineering the 76477 "Space Invaders" sound effect chip from die photos