Technology

MIDI

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard and communication protocol that allows electronic musical instruments, computers, and audio devices to exchange digital performance data, not audio.

MIDI is the universal language for digital music gear, established in 1983 to ensure interoperability between different manufacturers’ equipment (e.g., Roland, Yamaha). It transmits event messages—like 'Note On' with a specific pitch and velocity, or control changes for volume and modulation—at 31.25 kilobits per second (Kbps). This data-only approach makes MIDI files exceptionally small and highly editable in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). A single MIDI controller can manage up to 16 channels of data, triggering sounds across multiple synthesizers, drum machines, or software instruments simultaneously, which revolutionized music production and live performance setups.