MIDI is short for "Musical Instrument Digital Interface", Perhaps the best way to understand the meaning of MIDI is to first understand what it is not:
- MIDI isn't music
- MIDI doesn't contain any actual sounds
- MIDI isn't a digital music file format like MP3 or WAV
MIDI is nothing more than data -- a set of instructions. MIDI data contains a list of
events or
messages
that tell an electronic device (musical instrument, computer sound
card, cell phone, et cetera) how to generate a certain sound. Here are a
few examples of typical MIDI messages:
- Note On
signals that a key has been pressed or a note on another instrument
(like a MIDI guitar or clarinet) has been played. The Note On message
includes instructions for what key was pressed and at what velocity (how
hard the note was played).
- Note Off signals that the key has been released or the note is done playing.
- Polyphonic Key Pressure
is a measurement of how hard a key is pressed once it "bottoms out." On
some keyboards, this adds vibrato or other effects to the note.
- Control Change
indicates that a controller -- perhaps a foot pedal or a fader knob --
has been pressed or turned. The control change message includes the
number assigned to the controller and the value of the change (0-127).
- Pitch Wheel Change signals that the pitch of the note has been bent with the keyboard's pitch wheel.
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