In a former narrative I wrote the basic definition about Midi (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and how contemporary musicians can use it in their independent productions. This time I will write about the technical side of Midi, including Midi ports that are available, Midi channels and how to use them, and the general Midi suitable that allows a Midi file to be read consistently over a variety of Midi-capable instruments (hardware and software).
Midi Ports
As in every other audio or music connected technology, Midi has an In and Out port. To by comparison the use of these two ports, lets use the example of a Midi keyboard and a computer (in this case a Midi to Usb converter is valuable for the computer). The Midi Out port on the keyboard is connected to the Midi In port on the computer. This means that the keyboard sends Midi data to be played back or recorded inside the computer. Vice versa, the Midi In port on the keyboard can be connected to the Midi Out port of the computer allowing the recorded Midi data inside the computer to be sent back to the keyboard in order for the keyboard to play back the Midi data (this means you can narrative yourself playing, edit the Midi data in a music software, and then play it back on the keyboard and narrative the audio advent out the keyboard for a good edited performance).
Besides Midi In and Out, there is a Midi Thru port that is sometimes ready on a Midi instrument. Midi Thru functions to pass on the Midi data received at the Midi In port to an additional one Midi instrument or device. Take for example the keyboard receives Midi data from the computer in it's Midi In port. If the keyboard has a Midi Thru port, it can continue the data it receives from the computer to an additional one Midi instrument's Midi In port. This is useful to chain any Midi instruments receiving data from a single Midi Out port from the computer (for example, to play complicated string parts using separate string sounds on separate keyboards).
In more up-to-date technology, keyboards can be connected to computers via right Usb connection without needing a Usb to Midi converter. The downside is that it limits your ability to chain complicated Midi instruments together.
Midi Channels
There are 16 Midi Channels for every 1 Midi Port. That means any one Midi Port can send and receive 16 channels of Midi data. Each Midi channel contains all the Midi data with regard to a single track. For example, if Track 1 is Acoustic Piano, then Midi Channel 1 will include the note pitch, note length, sustain, and other performance data to be played back by a sound source. The sounds played back are carefully by the Bank and Patch number inside the Midi Channel. For example, using the general Midi Standard, Acoustic Piano is always Patch #1 and Acoustic Guitar (Nylon) is always #25. There are 128 Patches overall.
Having 16 Midi channels per port allows you to make a song using 16 separate parts. For example you can use Channel 1 for the melody Part using a saxophone sound (Patch #65 Soprano Sax), originate the comp part using a piano (Patch #5 galvanic Piano 1), and make the rhythm part using bass (Patch #34 galvanic Bass finger) and drums (using Midi Channel 10, a channel that is reserved especially to play percussion sounds regardless of the patch number you agenda in). If you need more channels, then you need more Midi ports!
General Midi (or Gm) Standard
The Gm suitable is the suitable used in order to be able to play back Midi files consistently in the middle of separate Midi devices. I mentioned above about Patch numbers and Midi Channels. These Patch numbers include the type of sound to be played back (#1 for Acoustic Piano). In order for an additional one gadget to understand that Midi Channel 1 is Midi data for a piano sound, it applies the Gm suitable and confirms that Patch #1 is a piano sound (it will then call up it's own version of the piano sound, sometimes this can be good sounding or it can be simpler sounding depending on the internal sound synthesizer that is used to play back the Midi data). Most keyboards and software when salvage Midi data saves it under the Gm Standard. I hope this narrative can be of use for you to added your insight of contemporary digital music technology. To your music success.
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