MIDI can be a very powerful tool when making music in the digital world. Although MIDI can get very complex, the basics are easy to understand. In this article we will cover some of the terms you may come across when reading about MIDI. These are also the same MIDI terms you may see referenced in your product's user manual.
MIDI Basics - Common Terms Explained
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Intro
An acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, MIDI was created in the early 80s as a communication standard for musical hardware. The standard allows two products, from two different manufactures, to send performance data back and forth using a common language. These days, MIDI is used to control music equipment, lighting equipment, and even video games. It's a fast transferring digital signal that allows performance data to be layered using multiple channels or separated using multiple ports.
Channels vs Ports
MIDI messages can be defined by a MIDI port and/or a MIDI channel. Each port has 16 different channels that can be used to pass data. MIDI ports are often unique hardware paths, typically indicated by a 5-pin DIN connectors (shown below). MIDI ports can have their own hardware input and output or all ports can be handled by a single USB connection.
Tip: You can send the same performance data down all MIDI channels when an OMNI mode is used from the transmitting hardware or software.
USB-MIDI vs 5-pin DIN
MIDI is transferred using two common cables/connectors. Most hardware and external sound modules will use MIDI 5-pin DIN inputs and outputs to transfer MIDI. More recently, due to the music software explosion, MIDI is being sent over a USB cable. Since computers come standard with USB ports, a USB connection is now the more desirable choice.
MIDI controllers may have USB-MIDI as well as 5-pin DIN in and outs. This accommodates computer and external hardware connection.
Whats a 'Virtual Instrument' and Why Do I Need One?
MIDI does not pass audio signal, so if you are using a MIDI controller connected to the computer, you will most likely need some sort of software that will interpret the MIDI and produce sound. This is referred to as a Virtual Instrument, VI, or plug-in. If you are using recording/sequencing software, you may already have some virtual instruments included. Virtual instruments can consist of a variety of sounds or can specialize in a particular timbre or category. Whether you're looking for great piano sounds, epic drum kits, or the sounds of crashing dish wear, there is a virtual instrument out there for everyone.
Drummers Theory And Terminology DictionarySome Advantages of Using MIDI
Types of MessagesMIDI Notes - letters vs numbers
The most commonly used MIDI message is a note-on or note-off message. A note-on message is created when pressing a key (or pad), and a note-off message is created upon release. This MIDI note message tells you what note was played, how hard the note was hit, and what MIDI channel the note was played on. Using note-on and note-off messages will determine how long the note took place. All this performance data gets translated to digital information, which can then be read by any other device supporting MIDI.
Every note on a full scale (88-key) piano is affiliated with a note and octave, as well as a MIDI note number. The following chart will show you this relation:
The same notes and octaves displayed on a full range piano:
Looking at the charts above you can see that middle C, known as C4, is represented by MIDI note number 48.
TIP: Changing the MIDI note a controller sends can be helpful when a drum pad is not triggering the desired sound from your software or hardware. If you wanted to send C4 when pressing a pad, MIDI note 48 would need to be assigned to the pad.
ON/OFF Messages - momentary vs toggleDrummers Theory And Terminology Definition
There are two ways a MIDI note can be sent. When using a keyboard, you will most likely be using momentary messaging. This mean an ON message is created when pressing a key, and an OFF message is created when releasing the key. Sometimes, when using drum pads or buttons, a toggle style functionality may be desirable. When using a toggle setting the OFF messages are not being sent when the pad is released. Instead, the pad will alternate between sending ON and OFF messages when struck.
TIP: Using a button or pad with a toggle function will help control a parameter that needs to stay on after releasing the button/pad. This can be beneficial if you are controlling something like a solo, mute, or an effects ON/OFF switch.
Continue Controller/Control Change/(CC)
Most commonly referred to as a (CC), this message consist of a controller number and a value ranging from 0-127. Most hardware encoders, such as knobs and faders, will send these types of messages. Often encoders will have the ability to change the control change number they are sending. This flexibility allows a single encoder to have the ability to control multiple parameters such as volume, filter cutoff, effect mix, etc.
The following list shows the standard use for these controller numbers when controlling MIDI hardware. The controller assignments in bold are the most commonly used.
NOTE: When using software that supports MIDI mapping, you can assign any control change number to any parameter available via mapping.
Program Change
Also known as a 'patch change', these messages are commonly used to tell hardware or software to change a patch preset. When using General MIDI, the program change number will be affiliated with a particular type of patch. When General MIDI is not being used, manufactures will list patches in the order they wish. Most virtual instrument companies will not follow this standard since their sound sets are unique. Here is the list of program changes and what patch they refererence when using the General MIDI standard:
Piano
Chromatic Percussion
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Organ
Pipe
Synth Lead
Synth Pad
Synth Effects
Ethnic
Percussive
Sound effects
TIP: Program change messages are specific to a MIDI channel as well. This allows you to change the patch of multiple virtual instruments or hardware modules, all from the same MIDI controller using channel assignments.
Also See.... denotes accompanying sound files
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Texture is one of the basic elements of music. When you describe the texture of a piece of music, you are describing how much is going on in the music at any given moment. For example, the texture of the music might be thick or thin, or it may have many or few layers.
It might be made up of rhythm only, or of a melody line with chordal accompaniment, or many interweaving melodies. Below you will find some of the formal terms musicians use to describe texture, and also some suggestions for introducing young students to the idea of musical texture and to these terms.
Terms that describe texture
There are many informal terms that can describe the texture of a piece of music (thick, thin, bass-heavy, rhythmically complex, and so on), but the formal terms that are used to describe texture all describe the relationships of melodies and harmonies. Here are definitions and examples of the four main types of texture. For specific pieces of music that are good examples of each type of texture, please see the Activity section below.
Monophonic
Monophonic music has only one melodic line, with no harmony or counterpoint. There may be rhythmic accompaniment, but only one line that has specific pitches. Monophonic music can also be called monophony. It is sometimes called monody, although the term “monody” can also refer to a particular type of solo song (with instrumental accompaniment) that was very popular in the 1600’s.
Examples of Monophony
One person whistling a tune A single bugle sounding “Taps” A group of people all singing a song together, without harmonies or instruments A fife and drum corp, with all the fifes playing the same melody
Homophonic
Homophonic music can also be called homophony. More informally, people who are describing homophonic music may mention chords, accompaniment, harmony or harmonies. Homophony has one clearly melodic line; it’s the line that naturally draws your attention. All other parts provide accompaniment or fill in the chords. In most well-written homophony, the parts that are not melody may still have a lot of melodic interest.
They may follow many of the rules of well-written counterpoint, and they can sound quite different from the melody and be interesting to listen to by themselves. But when they are sung or played with the melody, it is clear that they are not independent melodic parts, either because they have the same rhythm as the melody (i.e. are not independent) or because their main purpose is to fill in the chords or harmony (i.e. they are not really melodies).
Examples of Homophony
Choral music in which the parts have mostly the same rhythms at the same time is homophonic. Most traditional Protestant hymns and most “barbershop quartet” music is in this category.
A singer accompanied by a guitar picking or strumming chords.
A small jazz combo with a bass, a piano, and a drum set providing the “rhythm” background for a trumpet improvising a solo.
A single bagpipes or accordion player playing a melody with drones or chords. Polyphonic
Polyphonic music can also be called polyphony, counterpoint, or contrapuntal music. If more than one independent melody is occurring at the same time, the music is polyphonic. (See counterpoint.) Examples of Polyphony Rounds, canons, and fugues are all polyphonic. (Even if there is only one melody, if different people are singing or playing it at different times, the parts sound independent.) Much Baroque music is contrapuntal, particularly the works of J.S. Bach.
Most music for large instrumental groups such as bands or orchestras is contrapuntal at least some of the time. Music that is mostly homophonic can become temporarily polyphonic if an independent countermelody is added. Think of a favorite pop or gospel tune that, near the end, has the soloist “ad libbing” while the back-up singers repeat the refrain.
Heterophonic
A heterophonic texture is rare in Western music. In heterophony, there is only one melody, but different variations of it are being sung or played at the same time.
There are no examples of heterophonic music that would be familiar to most Western listeners. Some Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Native American music traditions include heterophony. Listen for traditional music (most modern-composed music, even from these cultures, has little or no heterophony) in which singers and/or instrumentalists perform the same melody at the same time, but give it different embellishments or ornaments.
![]() Homophony
A classic Scott Joplin rag such as “Peacherine Rag” or “The Easy Winners” The “graduation march” section of Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance No. 1” The “March of the Toreadors” from Bizet’s Carmen No. 1 (“Granada”) of Albeniz’ Suite Espanola for guitar The latest hit tune by a major pop solo vocalist The opening section of the “Overture” Of Handel’s “Messiah” (The second section of the overture is polyphonic)
Monophony
Here is an excerpt from James Romig’s Sonnet 2, played by John McMurtery. A Bach unaccompanied cello suite Gregorian chant Sing something for them without accompaniment Long sections of “The People that Walked in Darkness” aria in Handel’s “Messiah” are monophonic (the instruments are playing the same line as the voice). Apparently Handel associates monophony with “walking in darkness”!
Heterophony
There is some heterophony (with some instruments playing more ornaments than others) in “Donulmez Aksamin” and in “Urfaliyim Ezelden” on the Turkish Music page. The performance of “Lonesome Valley” by the Fairfield Four on the “O Brother, Where Art Thou” soundtrack is quite heterophonic. (Old-style blues owes more to African than to Western traditions.)
If anyone knows of any other good links or easy-to-find recordings of heterophony, or can share an audio file of a good example, please contact me.
Polyphony
Pachelbel’s Canon
Anything titled “fugue” or “invention”
The final “Amen” chorus of Handel’s “Messiah”
The trio strain of Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever”, with the famous piccolo countermelody
The “One Day More” chorus from the musical “Les Miserables”
The first movement of Holst’s 1st Suite for Military Band
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