What Is a Midi?

[Knopfler Fan]

I know, I know, another dumb newbie question. But can someone please tell me what a midi is? I hear this term thrown about quite often in here.

My Yahama keyboard has midi out, so I do have the option to use it....only if I knew how!

Can someone please help me?


Thanks,
KF

 

[Track Rat]

Musical
Instrument
Digital
Ibnterface
It's a data format that controlls MIDI compatible devices like keyboards and drum machines. It can also be used to controll things like effects devices and such.

 

[James Argo]

Simply Track Rat said it. But it's not Ibnterface, it's Interface.
Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It allows your MIDI equiped instrument (called MIDI device) to communicate each other with other MIDI device. The purpose of MIDI are vary & wide. Go here..

http://www.midiworld.com/basics.htm

 

[bbbkeys]

Simply Track Rat said it. But it's not Ibnterface, it's Interface.

Funny, James I will add my 2 cents. The keyword in MIDI is the "D" for digital. It is simply music implemented as data. With that said, you can use MIDI for more than just creating music. You can print out sheet music with it from a PC running MIDI compatible sheet music software when the notes simply correspond to the data on the computer input by your MIDI OUT jack.

Also, you can use it transfer music from one keyboard to another simply by connecting the source keyboard midi out to the destination keyboard's midi in jack.

Just my 2 cents.

Bruce Chambers
http://www.songwriterstreet.com/
http://www.brucemusic.com
http://www.javamusic.com/brucechambers

 

[Track Rat]

DOH! That's what happens when you roll a fattie on the lap top while trying to type.

 

[wx3]

midi....

The difference between midi and audio is....

Audio is simpily vibrations. Although we can alter it to suit are needs, we can't change the notes that have been recorded.

Midi can be changed. All it is, is a set of instructions telling the sound card to play this note here, with this tone, for this ammount of time, this loud. You can make your own midi easily by placing notes along a staff. The computer then read the notes you wrote and translates it into audio....

hmm on second thought, don't listen to me... I'll just confuse you more... It makes sense in my mind I swear!

 

[wjgypsy]

i don't use midi alot but i did come in handy today. you see i was recording this "james bond tune" on my midi keybord and could not keep in time with the other instruments using my fingers to hit the piano keys to play the drums. so i pulled out my midi drum set and hooked it up to the keybord, so i cound play the keybord's sounds with sticks. and it felt more "real"

zeke