MIDI

MIDI (/ˈmɪdi/; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard. It describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors. It connect a large variety of electronic musical instruments, digital devices for playing, editing, and recording music.^[1]

Using MIDI, a single controller (often a musical keyboard, as pictured here) can play multiple electronic instruments, which increases the portability and flexibility of stage setups.

A MIDI recording is not an audio signal. It is more like a piano roll, identifying the pitch, start and stop time and other properties of each individual note.^[2]

The personal computer market stabilized at the same time,^[3][4] popularizing the MIDI format, and helped computers become a viable option for music production.^[5]

Logo of MIDI (from the MIDI Manufacturers Association)