Wednesday, September 14, 2011

MIDI: A boon or a Boon?

By Heather White


A standard protocol was designed in the early 1980s known as MIDI, Musical Instrument Digital Interface, for the interchange of musical information between musical instruments, synthesizers and computers.MIDI is equivalent to music in the digital form that has brought about a complete transformation in the world of live modern music.MIDI keyboard controllers like Akai MPK88 control the sounds of multiple synthesizers from any place through a single keyboard.This means that the player has an access to a diverse range of musical notations and modules of different instruments played anywhere in the world through his MIDI keyboard without having to carry all of it with him, thus giving portability factor as an advantage a thumbs up.

MIDI stores the performance data in the form of files with extensions like ".mid", ".smf", ".kar", etc. that are compact as compared to the audio files with ".mp3" or ".mp4" extentions.This means that one doesn't have to write the files down as the performances are recorded directly and this recording can be converted easily into musical notation to be printed out as actual sheet music.

The option of making changes to a particular note or the type of instrument according to the need is open in a MIDI file. A track recorded in which a guitar is played can be played back into an accordion after making the necessary changes.In spite of lack of musicians, a person can have the feel of performing by isolating instruments in a track or muting a few.

Manipulation of sound by changing its tempo, pitch or by rearranging and orchestrationg can be performed.People exhibit the usage of MIDI in making the ringtones of their phones also.By combining a few MIDI devices, one can form a versatile grand orchestra.Jamming has become a means of cultural exchange through MIDI as people play different instruments from different parts of the world for a single band.MIDI permits an individual who respects and enjoys music to learn, play, and create music and then evaluate it.

Besides the creation of music, MIDI has other applications too in show control, themed events, theatre lighting, special effects, sound design, karaoke, VJ-ing, recording system synchronization, audio processor control, digital Dj-ing, computer networking, animatronic figure control, animation parameter control and lighting control.MIDI has been a boon to the musical world as it brings together cultures and people of the world and instills respect in them for each other.




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