MIDI?!? Help guys!

[Fenderalltheway]

Hey guys,

I know what MIDI is, but I don't really get how to use it. I got an electric drumset, and a couple a keyboards, and I'd like to be able to use the wonder of MIDI to write/record/make my instruments sound better.

So what do I need...interface/cables...whats a sequencer? Anyway, so please, I'm very confused?

[Dr_simon]

MIDI can be used in many ways. You can use it to take remote control of a bit of kit or to record what a bit of kit is doing to a sequencer.

Also you have midi instructions, these are things like Start or Stop or change to this patch number. Or you can set these instructions to transmit at a specific time or after a specific event.

Or you can record input into a midi device like a keyboard or a guitar (as long as it has a midi pickup). In this instance information about note pitch and duration and how loud the note is (rather than audio as we know and love it) is sent to and recorded buy a sequencer. This information is not audio is is just like a set of instructions which needs to be turned into audio via a midi sound module (a synthesizer) which will assign a voice to the instructions stored in the sequencer. Consequently you can swap between guitar, piano and horn sounds.

cool hu !!

[Kevin Taylor]

Ideally, you'll need a decent application for recording with.
Something like Cubase is best but there's stuff on the lower end of things that are aimed more at beginners.
You'll need a mixer so you can plug all your different instruments into it.
MIDI cables and guitar cables so you can hook everything up.
You might also need a USB interface to hook the midi up to the computer.


And that's about it. Then you just need to spend several months reading manuals and learning how to use the stuff :)

[Dr_simon]

Yep, a sequencer, some cables and a sound module, some speakers (or earphones) and you are good to go !