diff --git a/src/components/MidiComponent.js b/src/components/MidiComponent.js
index 04cceec..4849e86 100644
--- a/src/components/MidiComponent.js
+++ b/src/components/MidiComponent.js
@@ -20,30 +20,86 @@ function recieveMIDIMessage(message) {
     
 }
 
+function isValidSysex(data) {
+    if (data.length != 291) {
+        console.log("incorrect file length");
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (data[0] != 0xF0) {
+        console.log("first byte is not SYSEX byte");
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (data[1] != 0x42) {
+        console.log("manufacturer code is not KORG");
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (data[data.length-1] != 0xF7) {
+        console.log("last byte is does not end SYSEX message");
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (data[4] != 0x400) {
+        console.log("not a program dump")
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 function loadSysex(input) {
     let file = input.current.files[0];
     console.log(file);
+    let reader = new FileReader();
+    reader.onload = (e) => {
+        let data = new Uint8ClampedArray(e.target.result)
+        console.log(data);
+        if (isValidSysex(data)) {
+            console.log("read in as valid sysex file");
+            return data;
+        }
+        else {
+            console.log("could not verify sysex");
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
+    reader.readAsArrayBuffer(file);
 }
 
-function dumpBufferfromSysexFile() {
+function dumpBufferFromSysexFile() {
     
 }
 
 function MIDIComponent () {
-    
+
+    // request midi access
     navigator.requestMIDIAccess({sysex: true}).then(onMIDISuccess, onMIDIFailure);
     const fileInput = React.useRef();
+    const sysexFile;
 
+    // on file load, verify correct file format
+    const getFile = (event) => {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        sysexFile = loadSysex(fileInput);
+    }
+
+    // on submit button press, convert the file to correct Dump Format, as per microKORG MIDI Implementation Doc
     const handleInput = (event) => {
         event.preventDefault();
-        loadSysex(fileInput);
+        if (sysexFile == null) {
+            alert("Please load a SYSEX File");
+            return;
+        }
+        let reader = new FileReader();
+        reader.onload = (e) => {
+            dumpBufferFromSysexFile(e.target.result);
+        }
+        reader.readAsArrayBuffer(sysexFile);
     }
 
     return(
         <form onSubmit={handleInput}>
             <label>
                 Upload a Sysex File:
-                <input type='file' ref={fileInput} />
+                <input type='file' ref={fileInput} onChange={getFile}/>
             </label>
             <br />
             <button type="submit">Submit</button>