introduction to midi - copy.ppt

7/26/2019 Introduction to MIDI - Copy.ppt

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INTRODUCTION TO MIDIMIDI, the Musical Instrument Digital

Interface, began as a serial interface busdesigned to connect electronic musical

instruments with each other and to

computers.Now the term MIDI also refers to a file format

(usually with the .MID extension) that can be

used to store MIDI command codes as might

be found on a MIDI bus. These files can be

used to control a MIDIcompatible system

with synthesi!ers, samplers, and other MIDI

de"ices.


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MIDI FILES

MIDI files support onlyinstrumental music

,not "ocals or nonmusical audio. MIDI pro"ides

a powerful way to create and distribute

instrumental music on the Internet. MIDI

compatible hardware and software are widely

a"ailable for creating music and MIDI files.

# ma$or strength of MIDI files is their compact

si!e. # %&minute of MIDI instrumental musicre'uires only &&* of data compared to a +.

minute of -D'uality audio that re'uires & M*

of dis/ space.


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MIDI FILESThe secret of a MIDI file0s compactness is that

it contains no audio. Instead, it is a se'uence ofcommands containing instructions on how to

generate music. The commands in a midi file must

be interpreted by hardware or software that can

translate those commands into audio.

1hen you thin/ of MIDI thin/ of sheet electronic

music. 2or the music to be heard, the sheetmusic0s directi"es must be played on one or more

musical instruments. The sheet music itself is not a

sound, $ust as a MIDI fileis not audio.


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PATCH

A patch is a setup that creates the characteristic

sounds of a musical instrument such as a piano or

guitar.

MIDI has 12 patch num!ers or programs" #hichare codes that identif$ musical instruments. A

patch map is a ta!le used !$ a MIDI de%ice to

determine #hich instrument sound is assigned to#hich patch num!er. A patch map ma$ assign

program &1 to a %iolin" for e'ample" program (( to

acoustic !ass" and program 2( to a harmonica


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)*N*RA+ MIDI

A recommended specification for consumer

electronic MIDI instruments that includes a

uniform numbering of instrumental and drumsounds

One of the main pro!lems that had caused

headaches for MIDI users" #as the inconsistent#a$

that %arious instrument sounds #ere numericall$

arranged !et#een different !rands of MIDI

s$nthesi,ers. -ecause of this inconsistenc$" it #as

difficult to share MIDI song files #ith one another.


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)*N*RA+ MIDI

#bout twenty years ago, 3oland -orporation

and 4assport Designs spearheaded an effort

to establish a new minimum of 5industrystandard6 for MIDI instruments. The basic idea

was to create a uni"ersal, specific preset

instrument and drum setting that anymanufacturer could easily include within their

synthesi!ers. This new specification became

/nown as 57eneral MIDI.6


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*ATUR*/ O )*N*RA+ MIDI0ere are the important minimum features that a )eneral MIDIcompati!le instrument #ill offer.

A standard set of 12 sounds to choose from #hen

composing musical soundtrac3s. The sounds are al#a$s

arranged in a specific numerical order from !rand4to !rand.The capa!ilit$ of simultaneous pla$!ac3 of up to 15

separate instrument parts. The technical term is

multitim!ral 6 a )M instrument is" therefore" 15 part

Multitim!ral.

A minimum of 5&4%oice pla$!ac3. The technical term forthis is pol$phon$ 6 a )M instrument has at least 5& 7oice

8ol$phon$.At least one /tandard Drum /et or 9it. )M supports ten

drum sets or 3its. The percussion sounds al#a$s ha%e thesame note assi nments from !rand4to4!rand.


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FEAT!"ES #F $E%E"AL MIDI

Ho& do 'ou tell if 'our instrument is $eneral

MIDI compatible(

+oo3 for one :or more; of the follo#ing logos"either stamped or painted on the instruments itself.

$E%E"AL

MIDI $S )$


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S*%THESI+E"S

# synthesi!er is a piece of electronic

hardware (or e'ui"alent software running on a

computer) that can combine and manipulate

multiple tones in complex ways to create

musical notes.

8ome sound cards, such as some of the

8ound*laster series from -reati"e 9abs, ha"ebasic builtin synthesis capability.

The terms multitimbral and polyphonic are

used to describe synthesi!ers.


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SAMPLE"S

A de%ice that records short" sound

samples originall$ from real musical

instruments" singer


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MIDI SE,!E%CE"S

The se'uencer is what plays the music. It

generates the commands sent to the

synthesi!er and samplers to generate themusic (and the synthesi!ers and samplers

generate the audio).

introduction to midi - copy.ppt

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