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Most of the MIDI files played drum track (track 10) as normal track. As a result, drums / percussions sounds changed to piano notes. These MIDI files can be played correctly with fluidsynth command tool using same sound fonts.

Correctly played:
- Doom d_e1m1 (original)

Incorrectly played:
- Doom d_e1m1 (imported then exported by Aria Maestosa 1.4.13)
- The Christmas Song (sample MIDI song downloaded)
- Self sequenced MIDI (CakeWalk Pro Audio 6 from decades before)

Test platform:
- vlc-3.0.0-win64 / vlc-3.0.18-win64
- sc-55.sf2 / GeneralUser GS v1.471.sf2
- using bundled fluidsynth plugin
- Windows 11 Pro 22H2
- removed %AppData%\vlc

Compared platform:
- fluidsynth-2.3.0-win10-x64
- sc-55.sf2 / GeneralUser GS v1.471.sf2
- Windows 11 Pro 22H2

MIDI files link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ymjipel7m8xu ... ItYJa?dl=0

I can't reproduce the issue with VLC 3.0.18 on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, using "GeneralUser GS v1.471.sf2" and some other SoundFonts for testing purposes. When playing "d_e1m1.mid" I do hear drums all along the track and no piano notes at all.
However, yes, I can reproduce the issue when playing "The Christmas Song.mid" whatever SoundFont file is used.

You should create a new report ticket on the VLC Trac with your above report, the link to your sample files and the link to this thread:
https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/issues

Thanks for the code link; and actually found the exact issues and its fix (fluidlite bug), though it committed on Aug 2020 but seems not really merged to VLC yet.

Add to the ticket the link to your sample files.