To sell a MIDI pack that producers can actually use, package more than a folder of unnamed clips. Include a rendered audio preview, musical metadata, a tested DAW-compatibility matrix, a clear license and one versioned download released only after payment.
This workflow is for composers, beatmakers and music educators selling original melody, chord, bass or drum MIDI. MIDI contains performance instructions rather than recorded sound, so buyers need to know which instruments, tempo assumptions and musical context produced the preview.
Build a MIDI Pack Manifest
Use one manifest for the product page and the delivered ZIP. This is the original working template for the pack:
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Release | Neo Soul Chords 1.1 |
| Contents | 40 Type 1 .mid files, 20 audio previews |
| Musical metadata | BPM, key, time signature, bars |
| Performance data | Note, velocity, sustain CC; no Program Change |
| DAWs tested | Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro; versions and test date |
| License | One producer; commercial releases allowed; source redistribution prohibited |
| Known limits | Sounds and plug-in presets not included |
The MIDI Association's specifications distinguish Standard MIDI Files from audio. Do not promise that a buyer will hear your exact demo sound unless you also license and deliver the required audio or instrument preset.
Name Files for Browsing, Not for Your Own Session
Use a stable pattern such as `098BPM_Am_4-4_SoulChord_08.mid`. Put tempo, key, meter, type and a unique number in the filename. Keep one README index with length, chord notes and any intended swing or pickup.
Avoid names such as `idea-final-2.mid`. A buyer auditioning 50 files should not have to import every clip to discover what it is.
Create Honest Audio Previews
Render short previews with a sound you are allowed to use in marketing. Keep levels consistent, identify when drums or a bass line were added only for context, and do not imply that preview audio is included when the buyer receives MIDI alone.
For a pack-level preview, play several clips with brief gaps or audible transitions. Do not publish the complete set as a downloadable preview file.
Run the Clean-Project Compatibility Test
Test the retail ZIP rather than files from your working folder:
- Open a blank project in each DAW you claim to support.
- Set the project tempo and import the MIDI file without your custom template.
- Confirm bar alignment, length, note-off behavior, velocity and sustain.
- Assign a stock instrument and verify that no missing plug-in is required.
- Export the project, reopen it and compare the result with the manifest.
Record DAW version, operating system, import method, pass/fail and notes. “Works in every DAW” is too broad unless you tested every claimed environment.
License the Composition and the Source File Separately
State whether buyers may release songs commercially, register finished recordings with content-identification systems, use the MIDI in client work, or share it with collaborators. State separately that they may not resell or publish the MIDI files themselves.
Only sell melodies and performances you created or have the right to distribute. A royalty-free license does not mean copyright-free, and it does not erase third-party rights in a copied composition.
Connect Checkout to the Exact Release
- Export the approved MIDI files and previews.
- Add the manifest, license and README to one versioned ZIP.
- Create a hosted product page with the audible preview and compatibility table.
- Upload the protected ZIP and set a one-time price.
- Test payment, confirmation and download with a buyer-view session.
- Retain the order, package version and delivery event together.
PayRequest's MIDI pack page provides hosted checkout and automatic delivery after payment. The useful conversion event is a seller creating one tested MIDI product, not merely visiting a generic store page.
Final Release Checklist
- Every filename carries useful musical metadata
- Preview audio matches the product description
- The ZIP opens and contains no working-session debris
- Every claimed DAW has a dated test result
- License rights and source-file restrictions are visible before checkout
- A buyer-view test reaches the correct release
When all six pass, publish the versioned pack and share the product page where producers already discover your work.