MIDI for Dummies?

StSt · Post by **StSt** » Tue May 30, 2006 2:05 am

And I do mean dummies (speaking strictly of myself).

Is there such a book? Perhaps the title's different? Is there a website with a really simple, slow, step-by-step explanation? Is there any help at all anywhere along these lines?

I've gotten to the point in performing where I'm sorely vexed by my ignorance. I'm not the quickest study in the world when it comes to technical stuff, so every MIDI manual I've seen makes me dizzy in seconds.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

St.

noisetonepause · Post by **noisetonepause** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:10 am

What exactly do you mean, step by step guide? What do you want to do? In essence MIDI is just a way of organising control signals (like, play this note, or, set the filter to this amount) in a standardised way so all electronic instruments can understand them.

What happens in Live is that you make a MIDI clip, which has notes in them, and then you put an instrument on that track and when you play the clip, the notes get sent to the instrument, and the instrument plays them. That's it, really.

Mika · Post by **Mika** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:43 am

Hey StSt, I started using MIDI only one month ago so I'm still a newbie. My advice would be to first define what you want to do and just look up informations on this, otherwise you can get lost in the amount of data.

MIDI is a very generic thing, it's just a language for machines to interact, you can control keyboards, drum machines, computer, lights etc

Just narrow what you want to do and learn by small steps.

EARLGREY · Post by **EARLGREY** » Tue May 30, 2006 10:21 am

Hello,
I started using MIDI too, some time ago. You know how it goes...you see friends having fun with it and after some hesitation you fire your first note-on command. You think you have it all under control, but I warn you...before you know it, you'll be drawing complex CC-curves and still you'll be craving more.... It will take over your life!!!!
Right now I'm following a 128-step programme to sober up a bit & get my act together again..
Just beware...

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Tue May 30, 2006 10:31 am

I'm sorry to inform you Earl that, cruelly, you can never get out of the programme as the steps are numbered from 0-127.

ba-doom tish!

ahem, back on topic...

deckme(N)tal · Post by **deckme(N)tal** » Tue May 30, 2006 12:13 pm

have a look to
www.tweakheadz.com

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Tue May 30, 2006 12:21 pm

0-127 IS 128 steps....

EARLGREY · Post by **EARLGREY** » Tue May 30, 2006 1:50 pm

Hambone to the rescue.......

EARLGREY · Post by **EARLGREY** » Tue May 30, 2006 1:52 pm

....although...with his set-up I expect him to be the single biggest Midi-pimp on this board...