Week 17: Lecture - Intro to MIDI

MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. The key concept of MIDI is that it transmits data and not actual audio signals. It is a serial communication system and transmits information sequentially. For example a keyboard can be connected to a sound module. The various keys on the keyboard trigger a particular sound on the sound module. MIDI has 16 channels (independent lines of communication); therefore 16 different sounds can be played simultaneously. Below is the procedure for creating a MIDI track in the studio using a Roland Sound Module:

1. Create MIDI track (takes in MIDI data instead of audio signal)
2. Record enable the track
3. Create a new stereo aux track
4. Load insert sends on audio tracks
5. Set fader to ‘0’
6. Insert > Multi-channel Plug-in > Instrument > Sample Tank [16 different sounds = choose one]
7. {MIDI track} Output > Sample Tank > Channel One
8. Create mono audio track (for click)
9. {Mono Track} Send > Plug-in > Instrument > Click > Cowbell
10. Event > MIDI > Quantize à Groove (=humanised)
11. Record > Play [play keyboard to trigger selected sound]

Note: The first 6 step can also be done in following way:

1. New Track > Instrument Track (audio and MIDI track in one channel strip)
2. Send > Plug-in > Instruments > Drum Kit
3. Record > Play