MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol designed for recording and playing back music on digital synthesizers that is supported by many makes of personal computer sound cards. Originally intended to control one keyboard from another, it was quickly adopted for the personal computer. Rather than representing musical sound directly, it transmits information about how music is produced. The command set includes note-ons, note-offs, key velocity, pitch bend and other methods of controlling a synthesizer. The sound waves produced are those already
stored in a
wavetable in the receiving instrument or sound card.
Since a MIDI file only represents player information, it is far more concise than formats that the sound directly. An advantage is very small file size. A disadvantage is the lack of specific sound control.
With a program that provides this interface, you can create music using a standard keyboard or other input device. You or others can then play your MIDI-conforming creation with the same or another program and a sound card as a music synthesizer. The MIDI program may come with a graphical user interface that looks like a sound studio control room. Many sound cards come as a package with MIDI software (for example, Media Vision's Pro Audio Studio 16).
The MIDI protocol uses eight-bit serial transmission with one start bit and one stop bit,
has a 31.25 Kbs data rate, and is asynchronous. Connection is made through a five-pin DIN plug, of which three pins are used.
This was last updated in March 1998
Dig Deeper
-
Backing up to local disk or tape can protect against the accidental destruction of a file but will do nothing to protect you when your facility suffers fire or flooding. Remote backup provides a better solution. This tip looks at two possibilities for remote backup: Choosing an outsourced remote backup service, or using software to do your own backups to an offsite facility.
-
Learn how attackers are using the widespread deployment of low-cost VoIP to leverage phishing attacks.
-
Is the government listening to your VoIP traffic? Can other companies spy on your WAN? It may sound like a paranoid conspiracy theory, but it's not that far out, technologically speaking. In this tip, Tom Lancaster looks at just how exposed your WAN traffic may be.
-
People who read this also read...
-
Resources from around the Web