difference between MIDI and digital audio

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brennantp

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I just want to get clear on the main difference between digital audio and MIDI. If I want to record using the quality sounds from my keyboard synthesizer, then I would have to record the sounds onto the software sequencer using digital audio, not MIDI, correct? Would this mean that almost all of the effects and sound alterations would have to be done with the synthesizer or tone generator before it's actually recorded onto the sequencer?

Now, if I'm correct about MIDI, it just has the standard 128 sound set in the General MIDI patchmap, plus about 80 or so drum sounds; a much smaller number of possible sounds. (Options for digital audio are infinite). But more effects can be done to MIDI sounds using a software sequencer than can be done with the same sequencer to sounds recorded in digital audio. Are these MIDI sounds actually coming from the computer itself or the keyboard synth?

Any help would be appreciated, and please correct me if any of my understanding is inaccurate.
 
The sounds are coming from the SYNTHESIZER when you record the audio that's triggered by the MIDI file playing across a particular synthesizer. Any effects that are invoked at playback time also come from the synth. Software synths in general suck compared to the hardware versions of the same thing.
Many of the effects can be done after the fact in audio. You record the sounds you can't get elsewhere from your MIDI synth in digital audio, then mess with it if you must.
 
Yeah, what Doc said. Try to picture MIDI as the instructions that a player piano would use. What creates the sound? It's still the piano, but it's being given information about the song.
 
Yeah, Yeah, What they said.

Also, you are not limited to the general midi sound set when creating your own sequence. You should be able to select any sound on your synth from the sequencer. The only time you are restricted to GM sound set is when playing a GM midi file. I think.
 
Stratamatic,

The only time you would be restricted to a GM sound set is if all you have is a GM sound set.
 
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