MIDI controllers

MIDI controllers come in all shapes and sizes – resembling pianos, guitars, saxophones, drums, pedals and mixing consoles. Keith Gemmell explains how they work.

As you probably know, MIDI is the acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. As a communications protocol it has many uses, including the control of VST instruments, automating mixers and programming effects units. However, it’s still used by many musicians for its original purpose – capturing a musical performance as electronic data and passing it on to another device, such as a synthesizer, sound module or sequencer – and to do that you need a MIDI controller of some kind.

This feature first appeared in Music Tech Magazine issue 18
Filed under Ten Minute Masters

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