midi's stereo?

[dobro]

I know nothing about MIDI except that I want MIDI now cuz I want a MIDI keyboard for synth sounds I want to use. Here's my newbie question: Does a single MIDI cable handle stereo sound from the keyboard? See, with my Roland keyboard, there are two cables from it that I run to two separate channels when I record, which enables me to get a stereo sound for it in the mix. Anyway, what about MIDI?

 

[J-Lane]

I was trying to think of how to best answer this and figured out that the first paragraph on Wikipedia pretty much sums it up best.

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), pronounced /ˈmɪdi/, is an industry-standard protocol defined in 1982[1] that enables electronic musical instruments such as keyboard controllers, computers, and other electronic equipment to communicate, control, and synchronize with each other. MIDI allows computers, synthesizers, MIDI controllers, sound cards, samplers and drum machines to control one another, and to exchange system data. MIDI does not transmit an audio signal or media — it transmits "event messages" such as the pitch and intensity of musical notes to play, control signals for parameters such as volume, vibrato and panning, cues, and clock signals to set the tempo. As an electronic protocol, it is notable for its widespread adoption throughout the music industry.

 

[VESSEL2020]

Exactly! what J-Lane said.
MIDI does NOT send any audio signal.
Only messages.

 

[Toddskins]

Yes

Be that as it may, MIDI can do stereo. It's just that you need a little more education about what you are dealing with.

The MIDI messages can contain PAN information. There are so many examples that could be written about here, so I'll just try one:

You might have a MIDI Song via a Sequencer, which has several sounds, drums, bass, guitar, piano, and horns. Each sound, on a different track with an associated MIDI channel. You can PAN each instrument from Left to Right, and anywhere in between.

The sequencer from a laptop computer, can control the sounds of your keyboard. Your audio out cables from your keyboard continue to your amplifier PA as usual.

MIDI allows you to control things in your synth keyboard from other sources, besides itself, i.e. Laptop Music software, or a MIDI controller such as M-Audio Axiom, or another synthesizer so that two synths play together the way you want them to.

MIDI allows devices to "talk" to each other.

 

[drstawl]

The Roland used in, "Making Me a Mineral" has stereo outs.

MIDI in.

Stereo Out.

 

[dobro]

Thanks for the feedback, you guys. I'll study it more and try to make sense of it. (I read that Wikipedia entry, for instance, even before J-Lane quoted it, and it didn't answer my question. Still doesn't. I obviously don't understand MIDI yet. ) I understand that MIDI deals in signals rather than audio. But can it be programmed or set up to sound like a stereo keyboard easily? Basically, I want to be able to use FL Studio synth sounds on a keyboard and play it. When I do that, I don't want it to be mono. I want the stereo spread that I get when I play my Roland.

That bit about the Roland is interesting, doc. I've got a Roland, and it's got MIDI in and MIDI out. But I've never explored whether it can be used to play the synth sounds from FL Studio. This bears investigation.

 

[dobro]

Be that as it may, MIDI can do stereo. It's just that you need a little more education about what you are dealing with.

The MIDI messages can contain PAN information. There are so many examples that could be written about here, so I'll just try one:

You might have a MIDI Song via a Sequencer, which has several sounds, drums, bass, guitar, piano, and horns. Each sound, on a different track with an associated MIDI channel. You can PAN each instrument from Left to Right, and anywhere in between.

The sequencer from a laptop computer, can control the sounds of your keyboard. Your audio out cables from your keyboard continue to your amplifier PA as usual.

MIDI allows you to control things in your synth keyboard from other sources, besides itself, i.e. Laptop Music software, or a MIDI controller such as M-Audio Axiom, or another synthesizer so that two synths play together the way you want them to.

MIDI allows devices to "talk" to each other.

You know, I think you answered my question. Until I actually get my rig running, I won't understand it completely though.