2013

MIDI in Samplitude Music Studio 2013 169
MIDI in Samplitude Music Studio 2013
What is MIDI?
A few words about MIDI: MIDI files do not contain the actual sound like audio files,
but only the note control information. This data is interpreted and played back by the
VST instrument or synthesizer. MIDI is thus a kind of remote control for synthesizers.
This has some advantages:
• MIDI files need a lot less memory than wave files.
• MIDI files can be adapted to any tempo (BPM) without affecting the sound. The
playback tempo is simply changed.
• Transposition of MIDI files to other pitches is also easy. As a result, a section in a
song does not have to be saved in several different keys. The version in C major is
perfectly sufficient. It can then be transposed to any key easily.
The disadvantage of MIDI files: The audio is not yet determined and is only produced
during playback.
Connect external equipment
Interface connection
Please consult your sound card or MIDI interface manual for information about the
correct connection. The most common ways to add MIDI functionality to computers
are:
• Multi-port MIDI interfaces, including separate devices.
• Sound card with built-in MIDI interface.
• General MIDI module or keyboard-integrated interface, usually labeled “To host”.
MIDI cabling
MIDI inputs/outputs: If your computer has an internal or external MIDI port, or has a
MIDI-capable sound card installed, connect your MIDI keyboard’s “MIDI out” to the
computer’s “MIDI in” (on the interface, sound card, and so on).
If your MIDI keyboard can generate its own sounds, connect the computer’s “MIDI
out” to the keyboard’s “MIDI in”. If your computer (or the MIDI device) offers more
than one MIDI output, connect any other sound synthesizers to these. If the computer
only has one MIDI output, you need to connect the second sound synthesizer’s "MIDI
in" to the keyboard’s "MIDI thru" port. A third device can be connected to the
second’s "MIDI thru", and so on. The "MIDI thru" port always delivers a copy of the
signals coming into the device’s "MIDI in". It is preferable, however, to use a direct
connection from a computer’s "MIDI out" to a device, rather than chaining too many