MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) allows electronic musical instruments, computers and other devices to connect and communicate. MIDI messages are sent via MIDI cables to control features like note on/off, program changes, pitch bends and more. MIDI messages use channels to differentiate between instruments. Common MIDI devices include synthesizers, sequencers and multi-port MIDI interfaces.
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) allows electronic musical instruments, computers and other devices to connect and communicate. MIDI messages are sent via MIDI cables to control features like note on/off, program changes, pitch bends and more. MIDI messages use channels to differentiate between instruments. Common MIDI devices include synthesizers, sequencers and multi-port MIDI interfaces.
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) allows electronic musical instruments, computers and other devices to connect and communicate. MIDI messages are sent via MIDI cables to control features like note on/off, program changes, pitch bends and more. MIDI messages use channels to differentiate between instruments. Common MIDI devices include synthesizers, sequencers and multi-port MIDI interfaces.
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) allows electronic musical instruments, computers and other devices to connect and communicate. MIDI messages are sent via MIDI cables to control features like note on/off, program changes, pitch bends and more. MIDI messages use channels to differentiate between instruments. Common MIDI devices include synthesizers, sequencers and multi-port MIDI interfaces.
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MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface
The MIDI protocol a language that lets synthesizers, computers and other devices talk to each other.
The MIDI Language
Messages use MIDI cables.
Audio uses audio cables.
MIDI Messages Note on Note off Program change (patch change) Pitch bend Controller change Polyphonic pressure (aftertouch) Monophonic pressure (aftertouch)
MIDI Channels
Ch 1: piano
Ch 2: guitar
Ch 3: bass
Ch 4: tuba
MIDI cable carries 16 channels
MIDI devices communicate using
messages
Note on Note off Program change Pitch bend Controller change Pressure (polyphonic) Pressure (monophonic)
IN
OUT
AB
IN
Audio MIDI USB
Multi-port MIDI Interface (2 in/out pairs)
OUT A B
Lights! Thru switch connects In to Out, for use without a computer Leave in out position!
IN
USB port
Multi-port MIDI Interface (8 in/out pairs)
Front MIDI Outputs
MIDI Inputs
Back Each MIDI cable can carry 16 channels.
USB port
Two Kinds of MIDI Network
Purpose: provide pathways for MIDI messages MIDI Daisy-chain Network Devices connected in series: interface
MIDI Star Network
Devices connected in parallel:
interface
MIDI Daisy-chain Network
IN
OUT THRU
IN
IN
THRU
THRU port: transmits copy of messages from IN port
The 3 devices must share 16 channels.
MIDI Star Network
port 7 port 5 port 4
Each device has 16 channels all to itself.
Any device can act as a controller.
port 1
Pros and Cons
MIDI Daisy-chain Network
does not require multi-port MIDI interface
MIDI Star Network
more accurate timing more channels more than one device can act as controller
Local Control Synthesizer
Computer
sound generator echo and re-channelize
local connection
keyboard
MIDI messages transmitted:
Internally Over MIDI cables
MIDI Patch-thru and Re-channelizing
Sequencer: echo and re-channelize
Triton Le
Local control turned off.
Synth transmits on channel 1. Sequencer echoes note back to synth on channel 2. Synth plays Detox Lead.
MIDI USB
MIDI Data Transmission
What goes through the MIDI cable?
Voltage
Timed pulses of electricity 31250 per second
Time voltage: lo
hi lo hi
lo
hi lo hi lo hi
lo
hi
lo
bits: 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
MIDI Data Encoding
The bits encode numbers, in groups of 8 bits. bits: 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
stop bit
byte
10100011
start bit
163 decimal
Byte: an 8-bit binary number
MIDI Message Bytes
Stream of bytes parsed into MIDI messages. Each message contains one or more bytes byte 1: Status Byte what type of message [e.g., note-on] what channel (for some message types) bytes 1-?: Data Bytes meaning depends on type of message each byte has a range from 0 to 127 [128 values]
MIDI Data Rate
31250 bits / second = 3125 10-bit bytes / second Typical messages have 2 to 3 bytes. So MIDI can handle between 1000 and 1500 messages per second. Sounds like a lot, but its easy to clog the stream with controller and pitch bend messages
Types of MIDI Message
MIDI Message
Channel Voice
Mode
System Real-time
Common
SysEx
Channel Voice Messages
Type
Data 1
Data 2
Note on
Note num
Velocity
Note off
Note num
Velocity
Program change
Program num
Pitch bend
Bend amount
Control change
Controller num
Mono pressure
Value
Poly pressure
Note num
Value Value
All values 0 to 127, except Pitch bend: -8192 to 8191
Channel Voice Oddities
Program change can select only 128 programs. Bank Select (a type of Control change message) lets you select 128 programs within each bank. Pitch bend has much wider range (16384 values). Why? Our ears more sensitive to pitch changes. Note off rarely used. Instead, note on with velocity = 0
Channel Voice Messages
Type
Data 1
Data 2
Note on
Note num
Velocity
Note off
Note num
Velocity
Program change
Program num
Pitch bend
Bend amount
Control change
Controller num
Mono pressure
Value
Poly pressure
Note num
Value Value
All values 0 to 127, except Pitch bend: -8192 to 8191
Control Change Message
One of the 7 Channel Voice messages Data byte 1: controller number Data byte 2: value [0-127] Lots of controller numbers in common use Effect on sound dependent on synthesizer patch
Common Control Change Messages
Controller Name
Controller Number
Modulation wheel (JS+Y)
Breath controller (JS-Y)
Foot controller
Data entry
Volume
Pan
10
Sustain (damper) pedal
64
JS = Joy Stick; JS+Y = move joystick up along Y axis.
Sustain pedal is a switch controller its either on or off.
Timing in a MIDI Sequencer
Measure | Beat | Tick Example:
2 | 3 | 120 2nd measure 3rd beat 120th tick
Tick: tiny, tempo-dependent unit of time
480 ticks per quarter note (by default in Digital Performer)
Ticks and Note Values
quarter =
480 ticks
8th =
ticks
16th =
ticks
32nd =
ticks
triplet 8th =
ticks
Quantization Snap notes to a rhythmic grid Notes (piano-roll)
[mod. wheel, data slider, foot pedal, breath controller, etc.]
3.MIDI control change messages
[volume controller, pan controller, controller #6, etc.]
Synthesizer Polyphony Polyphony means many voices. A synthesizer needs at least one voice to play one note. Korg Triton Le has 62 voices When you run out of voices, some notes will be cut short. Some sounds need more than one voice per note.
Synthesizer Polyphony Lets say a synth has 8-note polyphony. Play aplay Now chord a new withnote 8 notes... while holding the others
