etc

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MIDI concepts

sequencer
   a computer program for listening to and making music.
   It loads midi files (those with .mid and .kar extensions, etc) and
      combines (sequences) the notes with those you play on your midi keyboard,
      and sends the results out to your midi sound module,
   resulting in fantastic music piping out your speakers...  (hopefully)


synth / controller / sound module / keyboard / sampler
   a synthesizer is a "general music making machine" often composed of
   - controller:    the keyboard and wheels and pedals and joysticks, etc
                    that send events out midi out
   - sound module:  the music making guts that play sound from the events
                    coming into midi in

   specific types of synthesizers are
   - controller:    no sound module portion.
   - sound module:  no controller portion.
   - keyboard:      a controller that USUALLY has a sound module too.
   - sampler:       a sound module capable of loading in new sounds.
                    sometimes has a controller.


device
   something you stick a midi cable into:  one of your synths.  your pc.


port
   port = device (but usually refers to the connection).
   any midi device usually has 2 ports - an in port and an out port.
   often on a PC, you'll have 2 or more midi out ports.
   this way, you can have the sequencer play notes on several sound modules.
   more than 1 midi in port on your pc will let several keyboards feed your
   sequencer.


channel
   each midi port has 16 channels that you can send notes/controls on.
   As many notes as your sound module can handle per channel,
   BUT -just- 16 channels per port.
   A channel has a set sound.  so that means only 16 different sounds MAX
   per midi sound module on a given port at any given instant.
   You can switch sounds on the channel via a midi "program change" control.
   You can switch between 128 sounds per GeneralMidi,
   but can only have 16 different sounds at any one instant.
   (unless you're using more than one midi sound module)


bank
   a synth's currently selected set of sounds (numbered 0-127).
   the GeneralMidi spec specifies some general sound names that SHOULD be used
      for this range of numbers.
   Older synths may not adhere to this standard and often don't
   have a full 128 slots to put sound patches into.  (often only 100 or 64 or ?)


patch  (program)
   the parameters that a synth uses to "make" a particular sound.
   This is associated with the "programchange" number that selects the sound
   for a midi port's channel.


preset
   this is a loose term usually referring to the picked sounds
      on each of the 16 channels of a device.
   can sometimes be a synonymn for patch, though.
   Especially an unedited patch straight from the synth's default settings.


track
   separate parts of a song that the sequencer stores.
   perhaps a bass track, drum track, melody track, chord track, etc.
   the notes and "realtime controls" of one "logical part" of an instrument
   are stored with the times that they happen.
   Ditty programs require all notes on a track
      to use the SAME midi port, channel, and program (sound).


notes
   happen on a port's channel via the noteon event having:
   - key:               which key was pressed (0..60..127 for 0c..5c..10g)
   - time:              (per the sequencer)
   - velocity:          how hard the key was depressed (0..127)
   and via the noteoff event having:
   - key:               which key was released
   - time:              (per the sequencer)
   - release velocity:  (often not filled in)
   The sound of a note is determined by the port's channel's programchange#
   which picks a particular patch (0-127) of a synth's sound bank.


control change
   a (non note) change to some setting of a port's channel.
   something like program change (picking a new sound),
   pitchbend, modulation, volume, pan, hold, etc.
   There are a LOT of em.  Some have a standard #, some #s are reserved, some
      are custom, some are set via a MSB/LSB - IT'S A MESS I TELL YA!!!
   Not all sound modules respond to all CCs.


system exclusive dump
   anything other than note presses and control changes.
   Usually you're talking about a big bunch of synth config data or maybe
   a sample that a synth can send over midi as a big huge block of data.


sample dump standard
   a way to send mono 8..28 bit samples over midi.  (usually 16 bit)
   pretty slow, but often works ok.
   make sure to use a 2 way connection or it'll be even slower.