FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_73-b02)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.73-b02, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Darwin 14.5.0 Darwin Kernel Version 14.5.0: Tue Sep 1 21:23:09 PDT 2015; root:xnu-2782.50.1~1/RELEASE_X86_64 x86_64

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
Since Java 8 in all MacOSX I tried, this bug occurred.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Since Java 8 (all versions), MidiSystem.getSequencer() throws a NullPointerException. This did not occur in earlier versions of Java on a MacOSX system.

REGRESSION. Last worked in version 7u80

ADDITIONAL REGRESSION INFORMATION:
Any Java earlier than V8 worked.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Try to instantiate a Sequencer variable by using MidiSystem.getSequencer()

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Sequencer should be available and instantiated in variable 'sequencer'.
ACTUAL -
Program terminates with a NullPointerException.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException
at javax.sound.midi.MidiSystem.getFirstDevice(MidiSystem.java:1355)
at javax.sound.midi.MidiSystem.getFirstDevice(MidiSystem.java:1411)
at javax.sound.midi.MidiSystem.getFirstDevice(MidiSystem.java:1378)
at javax.sound.midi.MidiSystem.getDefaultDevice(MidiSystem.java:1165)
at javax.sound.midi.MidiSystem.getDefaultDeviceWrapper(MidiSystem.java:1115)
at javax.sound.midi.MidiSystem.getSynthesizer(MidiSystem.java:351)
at javax.sound.midi.MidiSystem.getSequencer(MidiSystem.java:458)
at javax.sound.midi.MidiSystem.getSequencer(MidiSystem.java:392)
at midi.Midi.main(Midi.java:7)

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
package midi;
import javax.sound.midi.*;

public class Midi {
public static void main(String[] args) {
try {
Sequencer sequencer = MidiSystem.getSequencer();
} catch (MidiUnavailableException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
No workaround found (except sticking with older versions 6/7).

SUPPORT :
YES