diff --git a/shared-bindings/synthio/MidiTrack.c b/shared-bindings/synthio/MidiTrack.c
index 89c50282bab..83b2fd94100 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/synthio/MidiTrack.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/synthio/MidiTrack.c
@@ -23,16 +23,25 @@
 //|         buffer: ReadableBuffer,
 //|         tempo: int,
 //|         *,
+//|         ticks_per_beat: int = 0,
 //|         sample_rate: int = 11025,
 //|         waveform: Optional[ReadableBuffer] = None,
 //|         envelope: Optional[Envelope] = None,
 //|     ) -> None:
-//|         """Create a MidiTrack from the given stream of MIDI events. Only "Note On" and "Note Off" events
-//|         are supported; channel numbers and key velocities are ignored. Up to two notes may be on at the
-//|         same time.
+//|         """Create a MidiTrack from the given stream of MIDI events.
+//|
+//|         "Note On" and "Note Off" events are played; a "Note On" with a velocity of zero is
+//|         treated as a "Note Off", as the MIDI specification allows. Other channel events are
+//|         skipped, as are System Exclusive and meta events, except that "End of Track" stops
+//|         playback and "Set Tempo" adjusts it when ``ticks_per_beat`` is known. Events that omit
+//|         a repeated status byte ("running status") are understood. Channel numbers and key
+//|         velocities are otherwise ignored.
 //|
 //|         :param ~circuitpython_typing.ReadableBuffer buffer: Stream of MIDI events, as stored in a MIDI file track chunk
 //|         :param int tempo: Tempo of the streamed events, in MIDI ticks per second
+//|         :param int ticks_per_beat: Ticks per quarter note, from the MIDI file header. When this
+//|           is 0 (the default) any "Set Tempo" event in the stream is ignored, because its
+//|           microseconds-per-quarter-note value cannot be converted without it.
 //|         :param int sample_rate: The desired playback sample rate; higher sample rate requires more memory
 //|         :param ReadableBuffer waveform: A single-cycle waveform. Default is a 50% duty cycle square wave. If specified, must be a ReadableBuffer of type 'h' (signed 16 bit)
 //|         :param Envelope envelope: An object that defines the loudness of a note over time. The default envelope provides no ramping, voices turn instantly on and off.
@@ -55,10 +64,11 @@
 //|         ...
 //|
 static mp_obj_t synthio_miditrack_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw, const mp_obj_t *all_args) {
-    enum { ARG_buffer, ARG_tempo, ARG_sample_rate, ARG_waveform, ARG_envelope };
+    enum { ARG_buffer, ARG_tempo, ARG_ticks_per_beat, ARG_sample_rate, ARG_waveform, ARG_envelope };
     static const mp_arg_t allowed_args[] = {
         { MP_QSTR_buffer, MP_ARG_OBJ | MP_ARG_REQUIRED, {} },
         { MP_QSTR_tempo, MP_ARG_INT | MP_ARG_REQUIRED, {} },
+        { MP_QSTR_ticks_per_beat, MP_ARG_INT | MP_ARG_KW_ONLY, {.u_int = 0} },
         { MP_QSTR_sample_rate, MP_ARG_INT | MP_ARG_KW_ONLY, {.u_int = 11025} },
         { MP_QSTR_waveform, MP_ARG_OBJ | MP_ARG_KW_ONLY, {.u_obj = mp_const_none } },
         { MP_QSTR_envelope, MP_ARG_OBJ | MP_ARG_KW_ONLY, {.u_obj = mp_const_none } },
@@ -73,6 +83,7 @@ static mp_obj_t synthio_miditrack_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_a
     common_hal_synthio_miditrack_construct(self,
         (uint8_t *)bufinfo.buf, bufinfo.len,
         mp_arg_validate_int_min(args[ARG_tempo].u_int, 1, MP_QSTR_tempo),
+        args[ARG_ticks_per_beat].u_int,
         args[ARG_sample_rate].u_int,
         args[ARG_waveform].u_obj,
         mp_const_none,
diff --git a/shared-bindings/synthio/MidiTrack.h b/shared-bindings/synthio/MidiTrack.h
index cb154d3996b..48e430156d5 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/synthio/MidiTrack.h
+++ b/shared-bindings/synthio/MidiTrack.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 extern const mp_obj_type_t synthio_miditrack_type;
 
-void common_hal_synthio_miditrack_construct(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self, const uint8_t *buffer, uint32_t len, uint32_t tempo, uint32_t sample_rate, mp_obj_t waveform_obj, mp_obj_t filter_obj, mp_obj_t envelope_obj);
+void common_hal_synthio_miditrack_construct(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self, const uint8_t *buffer, uint32_t len, uint32_t tempo, uint32_t ticks_per_beat, uint32_t sample_rate, mp_obj_t waveform_obj, mp_obj_t filter_obj, mp_obj_t envelope_obj);
 
 void common_hal_synthio_miditrack_deinit(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self);
 mp_int_t common_hal_synthio_miditrack_get_error_location(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self);
diff --git a/shared-bindings/synthio/__init__.c b/shared-bindings/synthio/__init__.c
index 3f9bc3f9274..b77e312974b 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/synthio/__init__.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/synthio/__init__.c
@@ -177,6 +177,9 @@ const mp_obj_namedtuple_type_t synthio_envelope_type_obj = {
 //|     """Create an AudioSample from an already opened MIDI file.
 //|     Currently, only single-track MIDI (type 0) is supported.
 //|
+//|     The file's tempo map is followed: the track starts at the MIDI default of 120 BPM and
+//|     each "Set Tempo" event changes the rate from that point on.
+//|
 //|     :param typing.BinaryIO file: Already opened MIDI file
 //|     :param int sample_rate: The desired playback sample rate; higher sample rate requires more memory
 //|     :param ReadableBuffer waveform: A single-cycle waveform. Default is a 50% duty cycle square wave. If specified, must be a ReadableBuffer of type 'h' (signed 16 bit)
@@ -233,11 +236,18 @@ static mp_obj_t synthio_from_file(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_ma
         // TODO: for a multi-track MIDI (type 1), return an AudioMixer
     }
 
-    uint16_t tempo;
+    uint32_t tempo;
+    uint32_t ticks_per_beat;
     if (chunk_header[12] & 0x80) {
+        // SMPTE: frames per second times ticks per frame is already an
+        // absolute rate, so Set Tempo events do not apply to it
         tempo = -(int8_t)chunk_header[12] * chunk_header[13];
+        ticks_per_beat = 0;
     } else {
-        tempo = 2 * ((chunk_header[12] << 8) | chunk_header[13]);
+        ticks_per_beat = (chunk_header[12] << 8) | chunk_header[13];
+        // until a Set Tempo event says otherwise, MIDI defaults to 120 BPM,
+        // i.e. two quarter notes per second
+        tempo = 2 * ticks_per_beat;
     }
 
     bytes_read = mp_stream_rw(file_obj, chunk_header, 8, &errcode, MP_STREAM_RW_READ);
@@ -260,7 +270,7 @@ static mp_obj_t synthio_from_file(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args, mp_ma
 
     synthio_miditrack_obj_t *result = mp_obj_malloc_with_finaliser(synthio_miditrack_obj_t, &synthio_miditrack_type);
     common_hal_synthio_miditrack_construct(result, buffer, track_size,
-        tempo, args[ARG_sample_rate].u_int, args[ARG_waveform].u_obj,
+        tempo, ticks_per_beat, args[ARG_sample_rate].u_int, args[ARG_waveform].u_obj,
         mp_const_none,
         args[ARG_envelope].u_obj
         );
diff --git a/shared-module/synthio/MidiTrack.c b/shared-module/synthio/MidiTrack.c
index 2d090be2696..23641c12a2c 100644
--- a/shared-module/synthio/MidiTrack.c
+++ b/shared-module/synthio/MidiTrack.c
@@ -92,6 +92,16 @@ static void decode_system_event(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self, uint8_t status) {
             self->pos = self->track.len;
             return;
         }
+        if (type == 0x51 && length == 3 && self->ticks_per_beat != 0) { // Set Tempo
+            uint32_t us_per_beat = (buffer[self->pos] << 16) |
+                (buffer[self->pos + 1] << 8) | buffer[self->pos + 2];
+            if (us_per_beat != 0) {
+                uint32_t ticks = (uint32_t)(((uint64_t)self->ticks_per_beat * 1000000) / us_per_beat);
+                if (ticks != 0) {
+                    self->tempo = ticks;
+                }
+            }
+        }
         self->pos += length;
     } else if (status == 0xF0 || status == 0xF7) {
         uint32_t length = decode_varint(self);
@@ -165,8 +175,10 @@ static void decode_until_pause(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self) {
 static void start_parse(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self) {
     self->pos = 0;
     self->error_location = -1;
-    self->running_status = 0;
     self->pending = 0;
+    self->running_status = 0;
+    // a tempo map applies from the top of the track, so rewind it too
+    self->tempo = self->base_tempo;
     decode_duration(self);
     if (self->synth.span.dur == 0 && self->pending == 0) {
         // the usual case: the file starts with some MIDI event, not a delay
@@ -175,10 +187,12 @@ static void start_parse(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self) {
 }
 
 void common_hal_synthio_miditrack_construct(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self,
-    const uint8_t *buffer, uint32_t len, uint32_t tempo, uint32_t sample_rate,
-    mp_obj_t waveform_obj, mp_obj_t filter_obj, mp_obj_t envelope_obj) {
+    const uint8_t *buffer, uint32_t len, uint32_t tempo, uint32_t ticks_per_beat,
+    uint32_t sample_rate, mp_obj_t waveform_obj, mp_obj_t filter_obj,
+    mp_obj_t envelope_obj) {
 
-    self->tempo = tempo;
+    self->tempo = self->base_tempo = tempo;
+    self->ticks_per_beat = ticks_per_beat;
     self->track.buf = (void *)buffer;
     self->track.len = len;
 
@@ -204,7 +218,8 @@ void common_hal_synthio_miditrack_set_tempo(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self, mp_in
     uint64_t remaining = (uint64_t)self->synth.span.dur + self->pending;
     remaining = remaining * self->tempo / val;
     set_remaining(self, remaining > UINT32_MAX ? UINT32_MAX : (uint32_t)remaining);
-    self->tempo = val;
+    // becomes the new baseline, so that looping does not undo it
+    self->tempo = self->base_tempo = val;
 }
 
 void synthio_miditrack_reset_buffer(synthio_miditrack_obj_t *self,
@@ -223,7 +238,7 @@ audioio_get_buffer_result_t synthio_miditrack_get_buffer(synthio_miditrack_obj_t
     synthio_synth_synthesize(&self->synth, buffer, buffer_length, single_channel_output ? 0 : channel);
     if (self->synth.span.dur == 0) {
         if (self->pending != 0) {
-            // still inside a delay too long for a single span
+            // still inside a gap too long for a single span
             set_remaining(self, self->pending);
         } else if (self->pos == self->track.len) {
             return GET_BUFFER_DONE;
diff --git a/shared-module/synthio/MidiTrack.h b/shared-module/synthio/MidiTrack.h
index 674e73c6d4e..e8a6a9bf864 100644
--- a/shared-module/synthio/MidiTrack.h
+++ b/shared-module/synthio/MidiTrack.h
@@ -16,9 +16,14 @@ typedef struct {
     // invariant: after initial startup, pos always points just after an encoded duration, i.e., at a midi message (or at EOF)
     size_t pos;
     mp_int_t error_location;
+    // current tempo in ticks per second, and the value to rewind it to
     uint32_t tempo;
+    uint32_t base_tempo;
     // samples of the current delay that did not fit in span.dur
     uint32_t pending;
+    // ticks per quarter note (15 bits in the file header), or 0 when the
+    // timing is absolute (SMPTE) and Set Tempo events do not apply
+    uint16_t ticks_per_beat;
     // last channel status byte, for events that omit it (running status)
     uint8_t running_status;
 } synthio_miditrack_obj_t;