MIDI is the acronym for Musical Instrument
Digital Interface. Throughout its existence, MIDI has gained
acceptance with industry professionals by leaps and bounds. Not only
does it allow for faster creation and composition of music, it allows
the composer to become the proverbial one-man band.
MIDI was introduced in 1983. It was developed
in cooperation between the major music industry electronic instrument
manufacturers including Roland, Yamaha, Korg and others. No one ever
dreamed the kinds of sounds that could be created and accessed using
such a powerful communications protocol.
The MIDI protocol allows electronic devices
(usually synthesizers, but also computers, light show controllers,
VCR’s, multi-track recorders, etc.) to interact and work in
synchronization with other MIDI compatible devices. Using a master
controller device such as a keyboard, one can play or trigger sounds
from other electronic devices remotely. This eliminates the need for
one keyboardist to perform with nine or ten keyboards around him. He
can play all the keyboards through one simply by connecting them using
MIDI. The other keyboards can be off-stage; he never has to touch
them, yet he can play them.
The best analogy for MIDI is to liken it to
the linking of two computers via modems. The same way the computers
share information via modem, electronic devices share it via MIDI. It
does not send the actual musical note, but the information about the
note. It can send messages to synthesizers telling it to change
sounds, master volume, modulation devices, which note was depressed,
and even how long to sustain the note.
MIDI has been continually expanded to include
other features for the professional musician. Some of note include
MIDI Time Code (allowing synchronization of video and audio), Sample
Dump Standard (allowing for the transfer of digital audio files) and
MIDI Show Control (allowing control of devices used in theater).
Welcome to FMG Midicenter! 
