Miscellanious newb questions...

[Masterchief]

I have a couple random questions I was hoping you guys could help me with...

1. MIDI is just the information, not the audio, correct? (for example what key you hit on a keyboard, not what the pitch is)

2. If i was correct on #1, why did I hear someone say that there are 127 basic instruments used in MIDI? Shouldn't you be able to use any you want?

3. What's the difference between a MIDI controller, a digital piano and audio interface controllers?

Sorry these questions are something you'd expect from your 4 year old son.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

I have a couple random questions I was hoping you guys could help me with...

1. MIDI is just the information, not the audio, correct? (for example what key you hit on a keyboard, not what the pitch is)

2. If i was correct on #1, why did I hear someone say that there are 127 basic instruments used in MIDI? Shouldn't you be able to use any you want?

3. What's the difference between a MIDI controller, a digital piano and audio interface controllers?

Sorry these questions are something you'd expect from your 4 year old son.

I'm not a MIDI expert but:

1. Yes.

2. 128 (2 to the 6th power) is an important number in MIDI. I'll leave it to someone else to give more detail.

3. A MIDI controller just sends MIDI data. A digital piano has the sounds in it that can be played from an audio output on the keyboard, and probably has weighted keys. An audio interface has I/O for recording and playing back sound to/from your computer. A DAW controller gives you some faders and transport buttons etc. to make DAW operation more convenient. The last two are sometimes combined into a single unit.

 

[tlennon1]

To add....
2. General Midi has support for 127 instruments which is the basis for a standard Midi mapping. There are 128 as stated but the count starts from 0-127.
3. Midi controllers come in different flavors. Some have keys, some have rotorary knobs and slider, buttons and switches, and any combination.

 

[TimOBrien]

General MIDI is a SUGGESTED way to put instruments into a sampler or soundfont.

There is no RULE or LAW that says you have to.

Here's some starter midi info:

http://www.tweakheadz.com/how_to_get_started_with_midi.html

(You're gonna want to bookmark and read through Tweak's entire Guide.... great resource!)

 

[M1Fanatic]

I use MIDI for time code sync rather than any sounds or modules. I don't need or want one module or keyboard playing another, I just need their sequencers locked up.