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MIDI Basics for Musicians

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) allows musical instruments from different manufacturers to communicate and control each other. It transmits information about musical expression like volume, pitch, and instrument sound between devices. A MIDI interface connects MIDI instruments to a computer for recording or editing music. MIDI is commonly used for cell phone ringtones and in video games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero.

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Cristina Ledford
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41 views33 pages

MIDI Basics for Musicians

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) allows musical instruments from different manufacturers to communicate and control each other. It transmits information about musical expression like volume, pitch, and instrument sound between devices. A MIDI interface connects MIDI instruments to a computer for recording or editing music. MIDI is commonly used for cell phone ringtones and in video games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero.

Uploaded by

Cristina Ledford
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter Five: MIDI

1. What does MIDI stand for?


Musical Instrument Digital Interface
2. Why was MIDI invented?
So that musical instruments made by different manufacturers
could “talk” to each other and control each other
3. Give three examples of MIDI instruments
(also called controllers)
Keyboard, MIDI wind instrument, drum machine,
digital drums, sampler, pad controller
4. What can MIDI be compared to in the
modern computer world?
The USB cable
5. Name the three types of MIDI ports on
instruments:
In, Out, Thru
6. What is another name for a MIDI cable?
The five-pin DIN
7. What information about musical expression is
transmitted over MIDI channels to tell the synths
what to do? (Give three examples.)
Volume, pitch (note), instrument sound, pedal
information, and so on
8. What does a MIDI interface do?
It is a small device that connects MIDI
instruments to a computer for recording or editing
music.
9. What does a MIDI notation program do?
Name a popular one
Using a controller, it can write or play back notes
on a musical staff in traditional notation. Two
popular ones are Sibelius and Finale.
10. Name a particular kind of everyday
technology that uses MIDI.
Cell-phone ringtones
11. What magical MIDI number is
(1) the maximum number of instruments that can
be part of a bank of MIDI sounds in a synth,
(2) the maximum volume they can play, and
(3) the maximum number of instruments that can
play at the same time?
The answer for all three is 128!
12. What is MTC and what does it enable?
MIDI Time Code. It enables instruments to sync
up rhythmically so beats are in perfect alignment.
13. What musicians use MTC because timing
is critical to their job?
Musicians who write music for TV and
movies
14. What is a layered sound?
The resulting sound when two
different “instruments” on two
different keyboards are triggered
to play at the same time when a
key is pressed (such as a flute on a
Yamaha and a piano on a Korg).
15. What is MIDI used for apart from music?
Theatre lighting, special stage effects, VJing,
controlling animatronic figures at Disney World
16. What famous video games use MIDI
controllers to play music?
Rock Band, Guitar Hero, DJ Hero

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