Question About MIDI InPut and Output on an Audio Interface Unit?

Can I get a clarification on what the MIDI input and output are for on an interface such as the M-Audio M-Track 2x2M?

If I have a MIDI keyboard, it seems obvious I'm plugging THAT into the MDI input on the interface. But if that gets MIDI into my computer, and the audio from the computer comes back to the interface through the USB connection, then what is the MIDI Output for on the interface?

Would that just be to actually play/control the MIDI keyboard itself - assuming it is like a digital piano with MIDI input? Or a different MIDI sound module of some sort, possibly a different MIDI piano or something? That is what makes the most sense to me, but since I only ever need to get MIDI INTO my computer for virtual instruments, I didn't see a need for a MIDI output on my interface.

Are my assumptions correct? And if not, can someone set me straight?

Thanks!
 
If you have an external synth - lets say a Korg Triton, with loads of weird sounds. You connect this via MIDI to your computer and in Cubase, Logic or whatever, you record the MIDI output. You then replay this data, after you have edited out the duff notes, via the other MIDI port INTO the keyboard, and it plays it's sounds on command from the computer. If you want, you could then connect the synth audio outs to the audio sockets on the interface, and put them into record, while the MIDI plays from it's track, and then the computer records the edited version as an audio file. Handy of you then want to add effects or other extra weirdness.
 
If you have an external synth - lets say a Korg Triton, with loads of weird sounds. You connect this via MIDI to your computer and in Cubase, Logic or whatever, you record the MIDI output. You then replay this data, after you have edited out the duff notes, via the other MIDI port INTO the keyboard, and it plays it's sounds on command from the computer. If you want, you could then connect the synth audio outs to the audio sockets on the interface, and put them into record, while the MIDI plays from it's track, and then the computer records the edited version as an audio file. Handy of you then want to add effects or other extra weirdness.

Thanks! That's what I was thinking. Just wanted to confirm. Cheers!
 
Most of these user interfaces connect to your computer via USB. So, if you're using them for audio, you'd choose whatever it is to play audio. If you were to connect a MIDI keyboard or module (something with sounds) to the MIDI out, you can run a program on your Computer to play it through the interface. That's the simplest description. Not only are they audio interfaces, but they are MIDI interfaces. If you have a MIDI device that allows you to edit things - you can run your Editor on your computer and have it connect.
 
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