MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and Digital Audio
What is a sequencer?
MIDI Note Numbers
versus Note Names
What's Multitimbral?
General MIDI
About MIDI files
Digital Audio
on a computer
Multiple MIDI
outputs
A beginner's
controller keyboard
Reducing noise
on a sound card's output
Channel and Key
Pressure (Aftertouch)
What's Active Sense?
Differences between
samplers and synths
Using MIDI guitars
MIDI/Audio under
Windows 95
MIDI for Game Players
Creating effects
(ie, delay, reverb, etc) with MIDI
How to create slurs
Changing patches
over MIDI using Bank Select Controller
Registered and Non-Registered
Parameter Number
Sequencer Timing
Sequencer Note
Division Chart
MIDI Note to
Frequency
Understanding
the MIDI Implementation in your Roland manual
This page links to documents that explain MIDI and digital audio concepts. This information would be useful to musicians using, or learning to use, MIDI and/or digital audio technology.
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Computers
"The significance/importance of computers and MIDI upon music" or "how technology has made things better/easier for musicians".
Basic Tutorials
A tutorial that explains what MIDI is, and what it can do.
A tutorial that explains what a sequencer is, how it works, and how
it is used.
A tutorial about how musicians name notes, and how this relates to the MIDI Note Numbers that MIDI devices use.
A tutorial that explains what it means when a MIDI sound module is multitimbral.
A tutorial that explains what General MIDI is. Also included are listings of the GM Patch Set and the GM Drum Map.
An explanation of what MIDI files are, and how they are different from WAVE files. Useful information about MIDI files is also contained herein, such as explaining the various types, discussing the implications of not
including various controllers at the start of a MIDI file, how to play
Macintosh MIDI files on an IBM PC, and what RMID files are.
A tutorial about digital audio on a computer. Explains how digital audio is recorded, played, and processed.
Hardware discussions
A discussion of various MIDI interfaces and Audio Cards for an IBM PC (compatible) computer; which cards have features that may be important
to you. This also discusses cards that record/play digital audio, as well
as cards that have built-in GM modules.
A tutorial about the use of multiple MIDI busses (ie, multiple MIDI OUT jacks upon one interface). Learn about the practical implications of
MIDI bandwidth (ie, speed) limitations.
Advice for a beginner looking to purchase a keyboard controller (ie, to play his rackmount MIDI modules, or use with a computer soundcard/MIDI interface and computer software).
Advice on how to reduce RF interference and grounding hum on a sound card's output.
A tutorial that explains the difference between Channel and Key Pressure (ie, Aftertouch).
A tutorial that explains what Active Sense MIDI messages are and what they do.
A tutorial that explains the differences in how MIDI samplers and synthesizers make sound, and what the advantages/disadvantages are for each.
Advice concerning playing a MIDI guitar (controller), and using it with a sequencer. Learn about the practical limitations of MIDI guitars.
Computer and hardware configuration/setup/trouble-shooting
Answers to questions about connecting MIDI gear together, and in particular, resolving common problems that people have with getting a computer working with external MIDI gear or a sound card/interface or MIDI software.
Answers to questions about MIDI and audio under Windows 95. It's recommended that you read "MIDI connections and computer setup" also.
A FAQ that helps guide game players through the other FAQs to deduce only that info which they need to know concerning game audio.
Performance and sequencing tips
Mixing techniques for getting fuller, more spacious sounds out of your MIDI sound modules.
A discussion about using MIDI messages to implement effects.
How to create the effect of a slurred note from your MIDI sound module. In particular, this discusses some important issues about the Pitch Wheel (ie, how its range relates to the values in Pitch Wheel MIDI messages).
How to specify Bank Select and Program Change events in your sequencer tracks in order to switch patches on modules that have more than 128 patches. An example is given for Roland's approach.
A tutorial that explains what RPN and NRPN controllers are, and how to use them to adjust various parameters on your MIDI gear, for example
setting Pitch Wheel range.
A tutorial about sequencer timing: what makes for a stable, human-sounding playback, and what doesn't. Also, some information about sync protocols is included.
Useful Charts
A chart listing all defined MIDI controllers, and their respective controller numbers.
Charts that show how many clock pulses are in each note value (ie, 16th, 8th, quarter, half, whole, etc) for various PPQN resolutions.
A chart that shows the corresponding frequency (in Hertz) for each MIDI note number, plus some BASIC code that shows how to calculate those
frequencies from MIDI note numbers.
Information on Roland Products
Gives an overview of how the JV and related series sound modules operate, and answers some questions about these modules.
Helps guide you through understanding this chapter in your user's manual. This chapter contains the details of your Roland products MIDI support
(ie, what messages it understands and what it does with them, and what messages it can generate and transmit if any).
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