A mini Overview of MIDI

MIDI = Musical Instrument Digital Interface
MIDI is a system for encoding, sending and receiving the electronic messages which control MIDI devices. Anything that generates or responds to MIDI messages is a MIDI device. Common MIDI devices are electronic musical synthesizers (synths), keyboards, guitars and drum machines. Most film and TV scores, as well as popular recorded music is written and performed using electronic keyboards and other MIDI-equipped musical instruments. (Thanks to advances in digital sampling and synthesis technologies, the orchestra playing behind that big-screen block buster is more likely to be the product of MIDI than a real orchestra with dozens of acoustic instruments.)

Compose Your Own Music
If you've ever had an original song idea in your head and wished you could have it performed, MIDI is the way to do it. All you need is a MIDI Sequencer, plus a MIDI instrument to enter notes with. (You can also use MIDI Notation software to place notes on a musical staff without playing them at all.) You can start with just a melody and then add backing chords, bass, and rhythm later, or add instruments in any order you like. If you make mistake, you can change it without having to play the part all over again. You can also make entire sections repeat without playing them again. And you can rearrange and reorchestrate your song as many times as you like.

Make Your Own CD's

Once you have your MIDI composition fine tuned, you can record it as a wave file and burn it to disc. Surprise your friends with a gift CD of your own compositions or arrangements. With the proper software you can even add your own voice. Many programs (such as Voyetra's Orchestrator Pro) let you record and mix MIDI and wave file together. With a little work and a lotta luck, you could produce your own hit CD.

Arrange and Orchestrate

Many people enjoy writing arranging and orchestrating music as much as performing it. There are MIDI files available for songs from every style of music -- as well as software programs that generate the basic rhythm and chord patterns that define specific styles -- that you can use to create your own arrangements and orchestrations. Just change the instrumentation, add a verse or chorus here or there, even put in your own original phrase or section -- all of this is easy to do with MIDI. You can also share your arrangements with other people, who can then rearrange them to fit their own needs -- many people download MIDI files from the Internet and rearrange them to fit their own needs.

Print Sheet Music
When you are done creating your own performance or arrangement, if you have a personal computer, you can convert MIDI information into musical notation and print out actual sheet music. Many programs let you print out both the conductors score and individual parts for each instrument. This permits your composition to be performed by live musicians also.

Your Own Personal Band/Orchestra

Learning to play a musical instrument is one of the most rewarding things people can do. But why play by yourself when you can play along with a band? Standard MIDI Files are available for many popular songs, and when used with a personal computer or digital piano make it possible to have an entire backing band play along with you at whatever speed (tempo) and in any pitch (key) you desire. MIDI files are perfect for practicing with, as well as for performing when additional musicians are not available.

MIDI is also easy to find in the world of personal computing. If your computer has a sound card, it most likely also has the ability to play MIDI files (using a built-in hardware or software synthesizer that responds to MIDI messages), and with an adapter can also be connected directly to other MIDI-equipped products, allowing you to take advantage of various computer programs that can help you learn, play, create and enjoy music.

Record and edit your performance

A MIDI Sequencer can record your performances for listening at a later time, and even save your performance in Standard MIDI File format for playback on other MIDI systems. A MIDI Sequencer is a great way to evaluate your own progress, or even to study how someone else plays.

Better yet, because all MIDI data is editable, you can edit out any imperfections! If you play a wrong note, you can just change it using the Sequencer's editing tools. And if you find you just can't play fast enough to keep up with the tempo, you can slow it down for recording and speed it back up for playback -- without the "Mickey Mouse" effect that normally comes from speeding up a song.

Play any Instrument
When you use MIDI to make music, you aren't limited to playing just one instrument. No matter what sort of MIDI Controller (keyboard, guitar, wind, drums, etc.) you actually use, you can make it sound like just about any instrument you can imagine (and some that are only in your imagination). Most digital pianos and other MIDI instruments come with hundreds of different sounds (pianos, trumpets, violins, guitars, basses and more) which you can play yourself or play via a MIDI sequencer to create fully orchestrated music.

Make Your Own Music

So, as you can see, using MIDI is a great way to "Make Your Own Music". Come on, stop just thinking about it. Let's do it today ! Whether learning to play a new instrument or learning a new song, go ahead, MIDI down and "Make Your Own Music".

- back to top -