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A MIDI Primer

Multimedia Articles

Written by TParker

Tuesday, 31 August 2004

Article Index
A MIDI Primer
Electronic Musical Information
The MIDI Interface
Using MIDI THRU
The MIDI Channels
Using MIDI Patchbays
MIDI Sequencing and Synchronization
The Anatomy of a MIDI Message
Limitations of MIDI
MIDI 1.0 Specification

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Introduction

Hopefully, those interested in setting up their own

MIDI studio will find the information in this article useful. To the best of my knowledge, the technical info in the following articles are correct. If anyone finds something to be inaccurate, I welcome all corrections, comments and suggestions. So, please, give me a holler!

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I've been writing and recording music for over 20 years. It is my passion. . . it is my fetish. I'm not famous or anything, but I ain´t half bad. My articles come from my own personal experiences trying to get my music as properly recorded as possible in my own studio. I hope you find my MIDI Primer helpful.

- Tom

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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 24 August 2005 )

Studio Jargon

Mode

A simple definition of this complex and diverse term would almost certainly be inaccurate, while a full discussion is beyond the scope of this glossary, but here goes. Essentially a type of scale. If the notes used in a melody all appear in a given modal scale, and if the melody begins or ends on the base note (final) of the modal scale, the melody is said to be in that mode. The modes most commonly referred to can be obtained by playing only (and all of) the white piano notes between certain keys and their octaves thus: Ionian C - C, Dorian D - D, Phrygian E - E, Lydian F - F, Mixolydian G - G, Aeolian A - A. Modes are most commonly encountered in folk and ethnic music. The modern major and minor scales correspond to the ionian and aeolian modes respectively. So it seems that tonal music (most of the music written in the last 300 - 400 years) is based on only two of a number of possible scales, and it is interesting to note that while much European art music has confined itself to a thorough exploration of only these two modes, the rest of the world and European folk musicians have been quietly exploring all the rest and others. In defence of the apparent narrow mindedness of European art musicians, it must be said that the other modes do not easily lend themselves to the systematic and hierarchical structures beloved of them.

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