PT101 Module 6 (2023) - MIDI

A language that allows musical devices to communicate with each other.

A professional association that played a key role in the development of MIDI.

MIDI connects musical devices, allowing them to interact and be used together, regardless of manufacturer.

Software originally worked with either audio or MIDI, but not both. MIDI platforms were called MIDI sequencers.

A group of early electronic music manufacturers who built incompatible products.

A software platform specifically designed for working with MIDI data.

MIDI transformed the music industry by enabling the creation and production of music in unprecedented ways.

A standard adopted by all music manufacturers, allowing for flexible use of musical devices.

MIDI is data used for controlling musical instruments and does not produce sound itself; it simply provides instructions for how sound should be generated, similar to musical notation.

MIDI data is assigned to channels to direct specific information to specific devices, allowing for the control of multiple instruments simultaneously.

MIDI note data contains information about the pitch, timing, duration, and velocity of individual notes.

MIDI can also store information that changes continuously over time, such as volume, pitch change, and expression, which can change during a performance.

Early MIDI setups used physical controllers connected to hardware sound modules via a 5-pin DIN cable.

MIDI Thru ports allow MIDI data to pass through a device to additional sound-generating devices, allowing a single controller to trigger multiple instruments.

With the rise of computers, virtual instruments (VIs) became a popular alternative to hardware sound modules. VIs are software programs that emulate various instruments. They can be either standalone applications or plugins.

VIs offer advantages such as lower cost, ease of use within DAWs, and the ability to use a single instrument multiple times in a session, unlike physical hardware.

MIDI controllers can now connect to computers via USB, eliminating the need for separate MIDI interfaces for USB-compatible controllers.

In Pro Tools, MIDI can be set up using a MIDI track (for recording and playing back MIDI data) and an Auxiliary Input track (for hosting a virtual instrument plugin).

A MIDI track in Pro Tools is used to record and playback MIDI data but does not produce any sound.

An Auxiliary Input track in Pro Tools hosts a virtual instrument plugin, allowing for the playback and manipulation of sounds generated by the plugin.

Pro Tools' Virtual MIDI Keyboard (VMK) allows users to use their computer's keyboard to play MIDI notes.

A single MIDI instrument track in Pro Tools can replace separate MIDI and Auxiliary Input tracks, streamlining the workflow for playing virtual instruments.

The Track View Selector is a menu that allows you to choose the display format for a MIDI or Instrument track in Pro Tools, such as 'Clips' or 'Notes'.

The 'Notes' view in the Track View Selector displays the MIDI notes on a virtual keyboard, making it easy to visually see and edit the music.

Clicking on a note in the 'Notes' view will trigger the corresponding sound on the connected virtual instrument, allowing you to test your MIDI setup.

The 'Count Off' feature in Pro Tools plays a series of clicks (metronome) before recording starts, helping musicians to synchronize with the tempo.

The 'Meter' setting in Pro Tools indicates the time signature of the music, which tells musicians how many beats are in a measure and the value of a single beat.

The 'Tempo' setting in Pro Tools determines the speed of the music in Beats Per Minute (BPM).

The 'Metronome' button allows you to turn the click track on or off, providing a rhythmic guide during recording and playback.

The 'Conductor Track' allows you to control tempo changes throughout a project in Pro Tools, creating variations in the music's speed.

The 'Wait For Note' feature delays the start of recording until a MIDI note is played, useful for setting up recordings without pressing the record button manually.

With 'MIDI Merge' enabled, new MIDI data recorded over existing data is combined with the older data instead of replacing it, allowing for building up layers of MIDI parts.

Importing a MIDI file into Pro Tools integrates the data within the session file, making it a part of the project and allowing for editing and manipulation.

Dragging a MIDI file (.mid) from your computer's file browser or Pro Tools Workspace into the Edit Window is one way to import MIDI into a session.

Using the File menu in Pro Tools, you can choose 'Import' and 'MIDI' to open a file browser and select the MIDI file you want to import.

MIDI files contain note information, allowing for the creation of music using virtual instruments within a digital audio workstation (DAW) like Pro Tools.

Importing MIDI to new tracks allows creating separate tracks for each MIDI instrument. You can choose to create Instrument or MIDI tracks for each instrument.

Importing MIDI to the Clips List allows you to organize your MIDI data into individual clips within the Clips List, but not on a timeline. This is helpful for managing and arranging MIDI parts.

The MIDI Import Options dialog allows you to specify the starting point for imported MIDI on the timeline. You can choose Session Start, Song Start, Selection, or Spot.

Enabling this option allows the imported MIDI file's tempo settings to override the current tempo settings in your session.

Enabling this option allows the imported MIDI file's key signature settings to override the current key signature settings in your session.

Enabling this option permanently removes any existing Instrument tracks from your session before importing the MIDI file.

Enabling this option permanently removes any existing MIDI tracks from your session before importing the MIDI file.

Enabling this option permanently removes any existing MIDI Clips from your session before importing the MIDI data.

A click track is a rhythmic metronome that helps guide you during recording. It plays while you record, giving you a sense of timing.

MIDI Input Selector allows you to choose the input device (physical keyboard or controller) that will send MIDI data to the track. You can choose 'All' to accept input from any MIDI device.

MIDI Merge allows you to stack MIDI data on top of existing MIDI data on a track. It helps build a more complete performance.

The Track Record Enable button arms the track for recording MIDI data.

Playing MIDI instruments involves sending MIDI data from your physical keyboard or controller to your DAW.

MIDI data appears differently than audio waveforms in DAWs. It shows as notes, representing the MIDI message information.

A virtual keyboard that simulates a MIDI controller in Pro Tools.

The software that allows you to play your computer's keyboard as a MIDI controller. Built into Pro Tools, it makes recording MIDI more accessible.

When recording MIDI, the strength or force with which you press a key.

A digital instrument that is simulated through software on a computer, offering various audio and music-making possibilities.

A pre-programmed setting on a virtual instrument, offering a specific sound or musical style.

The button on a virtual instrument plug-in, allowing you to access and choose different sounds or preset settings.

The button on a virtual instrument plug-in allowing you to access and adjust various settings and parameters of the instrument.

The button on a track used to play back recorded audio or MIDI data.

The button on a track used to start recording audio or MIDI data.

A specific function to be performed in a Pro Tools session, like recording, editing, or mixing.

A sequence of actions or tasks performed in a particular order to achieve a specific outcome, like recording a song.

A term used to refer to the process of transferring MIDI data from an external MIDI controller or virtual MIDI keyboard to a track.

The process of selecting and applying specific sounds or presets to a chosen virtual instrument.

An auxiliary input track is an audible track, but it is not an audio track. Unlike an audio track, it cannot play back clips, which makes it a good choice for hosting a virtual instrument.

When you assign an instrument to an aux track, it will appear as an output option for your MIDI track. Select the instrument and MIDI channel if the plug-in supports it.

MIDI data lives on the MIDI or instrument track and is used to trigger a virtual instrument, which responds by making audible sound.

Instrument tracks combine the functionality of a MIDI track and an aux track. It can play back both MIDI data and virtual instruments.

Within the instrument view of an Instrument track, you can adjust the MIDI volume, MIDI pan, and MIDI velocity. This is important for controlling the dynamics of sound produced by the virtual instrument.

The Inserts view of an Instrument track allows you to choose a virtual instrument plug-in, similar to an Aux track. It automatically assigns the MIDI output to match the chosen instrument.

The I/O view of an Instrument track allows you to set the audio output to your speakers, just like an Aux track.

A virtual instrument plug-in, such as a synthesizer or a sampler, is a software-based instrument that responds to MIDI data by generating sound.

To confirm a proper MIDI setup, record-enable the MIDI track and play notes on your MIDI controller. Check the meter on the MIDI track and the instrument track for activity. You should also hear sound produced by the instrument.

The output menu is where you select where the MIDI data from a MIDI track is sent. You can choose an external MIDI device or a virtual instrument.

The MIDI Input Selector determines where the MIDI signal is coming from, such as a MIDI controller or another track.

Velocity refers to the force with which a key is pressed on a MIDI keyboard. It influences the volume and dynamic range of the sound played by the virtual instrument.

The MIDI volume fader controls the overall MIDI volume of a track, while the audio volume fader controls the volume of the audio output from the virtual instrument.

When selecting a virtual instrument plug-in, you can choose from a variety of instruments and control their functionality. This is an important step in creating MIDI sounds.

The Insert selector slots are used to access the Insert view, where you can choose and load virtual instrument plug-ins.

The Multichannel Plug-in type allows you to select from different types of plug-ins, including virtual instruments.

The smallest unit of time in MIDI, representing 1/960th of a quarter note.

A collection of MIDI data representing a musical performance, typically stored in a file.

Data in a MIDI track is synchronized to a tick location, allowing it to move with tempo changes, preserving its musical placement.

A feature that allows you to cycle through different sounds on a MIDI instrument, useful when searching for a specific tone.

The representation of where a note is played in time, using bars, beats, and ticks, such as '1|2|136' (Bar 1, beat 2, tick 136).

A feature that lets you choose between sample-based or tick-based timing for a track, influencing how tempo affects the data.

The smallest unit of time in digital audio, representing a single point in the waveform.

A track where the data, such as notes, is synchronized to a specific number of samples, meaning it won't move with tempo changes.

A visual representation of the timing of your session, showing bars, beats, and ticks, allowing you to see the arrangement of your music.

A way to measure the tempo of a piece of music, often in beats per minute (BPM).

The process of changing the tempo of a piece of music without affecting the pitch of the notes.

The ability of MIDI data to adjust its timing and duration based on tempo changes.

The visual representation of the timing of a MIDI track, typically using bars, beats, and ticks.

A measure of time in music, typically divided into beats, which further subdivide into ticks.

This tool allows you to select multiple velocity stalks on a MIDI track. You can then adjust their values by dragging them up or down using the Trim or Grabber tool.

This tool changes the velocity of a note by dragging it up or down. Position your cursor near the top of a velocity stalk for the finger icon to appear.

This tool allows you to change the velocity of a selected note by clicking and dragging it up or down. The Trim tool icon will change to a downward facing arrow when close to a velocity stalk.

When viewing velocity, the Pencil tool offers a powerful way to draw velocity changes on MIDI notes. You can click and drag to create curves representing dynamic changes.

MIDI Volume, Pan, and Continuous Controllers are independent data streams that change gradually over time. They can be visualized and edited in Pro Tools.

MIDI data can be used to control the volume of a virtual instrument. This data is independent of note data and can be edited in Pro Tools.

MIDI data can be used to control the left/right balance of a virtual instrument. This data is independent of note data and can be edited in Pro Tools.

MIDI continuous controllers represent data that can change gradually, like a knob or slider, and are represented as curves on a MIDI track in Pro Tools.

These are advanced MIDI concepts such as MIDI CCs (Continuous Controllers) and MIDI Expression, which provide additional ways to control and interact with virtual instruments. They offer versatility and can make MIDI data even more expressive.

Audio tracks and Aux Input tracks are by default based on this unit of time.

Audio tracks and Aux Input tracks can be changed to be based on this unit of time in Pro Tools.

A feature in Pro Tools that allows users to change the default behavior of new tracks.

The change in a audio or auxiliary track from sample-based to tick-based will cause its clips to be locked to this.

They change the way your MIDI data is displayed in the track view.

This MIDI track view shows your MIDI data in clip-sized blocks.

This MIDI track view gives you access to individual MIDI notes.

This indicates that a note is out of the current viewing range in Notes view.

This toolbar button controls the thickness of notes in Notes view, affecting how many notes are visible at once.

You can change how notes are moved by selecting this mode in the Edit window.

You can change how notes are moved by selecting this mode in the Edit window.

It's the perceived loudness of a MIDI note, directly influenced by MIDI Velocity.

It's the tonal color of a MIDI note, also affected by MIDI Velocity.

Adjusting this before reaching for a volume fader will provide a more natural-sounding amplitude and tonal change.