Midi Interfaces

[Jae Little]

Do I really need a Midi Interface?

I've seen and read about setups that people have and a lot of them don't have midi interfaces. It had me confused because I was told that I need one but yet I see people without one. Can someone tell me about this please?

[LfO]

I assume you mean a midi interface for your computer? If you want to drive hardware synthesizers from your sequencer, then you need MIDI ports. If you have joystick port, you may already have access to one port. If you have an audio interface/soundcard with MIDI ports, then you probably don't need a dedicated MIDI interface. If you have a bunch of hardware synths, and are worried about latency, then yes, you'll probably need a dedicated MIDI interface. If you want more clarification, post more info about your setup (what's your sequencer, what interface(s) do you have, what synths, etc.).

[Riverdog]

If you're speaking about MIDI "PATCHBAYS"... those are not always necessary depending on the amount and type of keyboards, etc. you will be using...

As a general rule: If you're going to be hooking up just a small setup like perhaps 2 to 4 keyboards - More than likely a MIDI patchbay will not be necessary... If you get into a larger setup with 4 or more instruments, with a sequencer / and you start dealing with automation and other things - Perhaps a patchbay is in order...

A MIDI patchbay is essentially a way to transmit identical information at the same time to all instruments in a setup... When a note is played - it can transmit out all 8 / 16 /32 ports of a MIDI patchbay at the same time so that all instruments receive that data at nearly the same time...

Without this / If keys were stringed end to end with MIDI cables - / More than 4 to six units would cause a lag in the note to where a note played from a sequencer would sound off noticeably between the first and last keyboard in the chain...

There are some theories to this... Many believe that MIDI is too slow and transmits at too slow a rate... (I think it transmits at like 2400 baud or something like that)... But, another more plausible theory is that manufacturers implementation of MIDI differs in various units between the unit's input and through to the next instrument... So there's actually a lag in processing time from different units depending on how the manufacturer made the instrument... My theory tends to agree with a combination of both...

Anyway...
I hope this helps clarify a little if you were looking at the MIDI patchbay standpoint / why you'd want to use such a unit...

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by Riverdog

There are some theories to this... Many believe that MIDI is too slow and transmits at too slow a rate... (I think it transmits at like 2400 baud or something like that)

Actually it has a transmission rate 13 times that high --- 31.2Kbaud to be exact. It's plenty fast enough for all normal applications and shorter midi cables DO NOT mean less delay or 'latency'.

[Atterion]

Not many people advertise their MIDI interface, because for the most part a MIDI interface is just a MIDI interface, much the same way people don't usually advertise the brand of monitor (Computer Screen, not audio) they use. Unless of course you are the proud owner of one of those fangdangled interfaces made by one of the big sequencer companies that promise to end timing problems forever if used with there software (yeah, OK...).

Oh, I use M-Audio and Guillemot interfaces.