VIRTUAL ROBOT

SERIOUSLY EASY TO MAKE GREAT MUSIC

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FAQ

How does MIDI work?

A No audio signals (sounds) are sent via MIDI. Instead MIDI works as a digital signal. A series of binary digits (0s and 1s). Each instrument (or computer) understands and then responds to these 1s and 0s, which are combined into 8-bit messages supporting data rates of up to 31,250 bits per second.

These messages can communicate useful information such as:

which note is pressed
the moment a note is pressed and released
the velocity (how hard it is pressed)
after-touch (when key pressure changes)
vibrato
pitch bend
Control Change (CC) messages

The MIDI ‘protocol’, as it is known, can support up to 128 notes, ranging from C five octaves below middle C up to G ten octaves higher. So pretty much any note you could ever wish to play. Other values such as velocity are recorded as numbers between 0 and 127. With a 0 being no sound and 127 being the loudest. These standardized numbers can be read by any instrument or machine capable of understanding MIDI. Which is why MIDI is such a powerful tool in music production.

How is MIDI data transferred?

MIDI is quite an old-school kind of connection and pre-dates USB. So if you have only recently got into music production, then traditional MIDI may take you longer to get your head around. Traditional MIDI is one directional. A MIDI device is therefore equipped with ports for ‘MIDI in’, ‘MIDI out’ and ‘MIDI Thru’. A special type of cable known as a MIDI cable (no surprises there) is used to make these connections. Each wire is actually made of 3 wires, two are used for data transmission and one is a shield. Each MIDI connection along one of these cables (or ‘link’), can contain up to 16 channels of information and each MIDI device has 16 channels. Each one of these channels will have its own specified note, velocity, pitch bend etc. It gets slightly confusing as MIDI signals can now be transferred via USB. This is common in most modern synths or MIDI keyboards. The USB effectively takes the place of the In, Out and Thru ports.

What is a MIDI effect?

A VIRTUAL ROBOT MIDI effect is a computer program that looks at MIDI notes and controls and modifies them in a manner that is musical. A MIDI note is a small digital piece of information transmitted from (for example) your MIDI keyboard that represents the note you just pressed. This note information is not audio, rather just a number representing the note “C” for example. Included in the note information is how hard you pressed the key (called the velocity). MIDI effects look at the note and velocity information and modify it some way. A MIDI note enters the effect via a MIDI input “port” and the modified MIDI information exits the output port.

What is MIDI clock?

Music follows a beat, this is timing like a metronome. This beat is also called a clock, but in MIDI the beat is divided up into many small times called ticks. Like minutes are divided up into seconds. A piece of music may have a Beats Per Minute (BPM) called out at the beginning. DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) have a BPM setting to specify how fast the music is played. Someone (or something) needs to keep time, cue the drummer….

The MIDI clock is a special digital signal in the MIDI stream that does exactly that. It is transmitted along with note information by devices that either generate or receive MIDI clock information. A MIDI effect if it needs timing can generate its own clock (called “Internal”). This clock can be used to synchronize (keep the same beat) other MIDI applications (like a DAW). Or conversely the DAW can generate a clock signal and the MIDI effect can use it to keep timing (called “External”).

The clock has a speed or rate typically in BPM. 60 BPM is one beat per second. MIDI subdivides each beat by 24 ticks (a MIDI standard). A MIDI effect can then time notes in BPM/(24 * 60) seconds. Just to put this in perspective if the MIDI ECHO effect has a BPM of 60, then the Echo Delay is 12, the delay is 60/(24 * 60) * 12 = 0.5 seconds.

What is a MIDI controller?

MIDI digital information not only includes which note is played, and timing information, but also includes control change messages (CC messages). A control is for example a knob or button on your MIDI keyboard. The knob has a control number assigned to it. When the knob is rotated it sends out MIDI messages with the knob control number and where the knob is in its rotation. For example rotate the knob all the way counter-clock-wise and its position information is 0. Rotate it all the way clock-wise and its position is 127. Each knob has a unique number. VIRTUAL ROBOT MIDI effects can be controlled by CC change messages from your MIDI keyboard and your DAW.

How do I connect MIDI ports on my Windows PC?

MIDI effects to connect with a DAW for example require a MIDI connection that is running on your Windows PC. Windows does not create this on its own. This can be accomplished with free programs that create what are called “Virtual Ports”. A Virtual Port shows up in the list of input and output MIDI ports and can be used to connect MIDI applications together. A Virtual MIDI Port is also required to connect two MIDI effects together. Below are two free applications for your Windows computer that create Virtual MIDI ports.

The following virtual MIDI ports programs are available for free:

Loopbe1

This program is freeware for 1 virtual port. There is also a paid version that offers 30 ports.

LoopMIDI

This is a freeware program that offers a custom number of virtual ports. Setup is a little bit more complicated than for loopbe1, since you need to create the ports yourself from LoopMIDI’s control panel.

MANUALS

MIDI ECHO

MIDI CHORD