These notes have been conceived for giving a quick survey about MIDI Specifications. MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface and concerns both hardware and software specifications. These notes emphasize the software topics, and include the general MIDI standard specification, the MIDI Show Control Extension, and the Standard MIDI File format.
All the original specification documents (see references) are due to the MIDI Manufacturers Association; they have been published and distributed exclusively by:
It is needed to remember that all standards are generally subject to revisions, and readers of these notes are encouraged to investigate the possibility of getting the most recent editions of the standards directly from the International MIDI Association.
MIDI was established to make it possible to exchange information (musical notes, program changes, expression control, etc.) between different musical instruments or other devices such as computers, sequencers, lighting controllers, mixers, etc. This ability to transmit and receive data was originally conceived for live performances, although subsequent developments have had enormous impact in all musical activities, and particularly in recording studios, multimedia, audio and video production, music publishing, and composition environments.
The MIDI 1.0 Detailed Specification has been prepared as a joint effort between the MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) and the Japan MIDI Standards Committee (JMSC).
[Index | Next Paragraph ]