Self-Study

• Write a program in Max that responds to incoming MIDI note-on messages by playing a sound with an appropriate pitch and loudness, based on the key number and velocity information.

Self-Quiz

1. When was MIDI invented?
Show/Hide Answer

In the early 1980s

2. At what rate is MIDI data transmitted?
Show/Hide Answer

31,250 bits per second

3. What are the two main categories of MIDI messages?
Show/Hide Answer

"system" messages and "channel" messages

4. Which of those two types is used for most performance information?
Show/Hide Answer

Channel messages

5. What is the term for the first byte of every MIDI message?
Show/Hide Answer

The "status" byte, indicating the type of message

6. What is the numerical range of MIDI status bytes?
Show/Hide Answer

128 to 255 (the first bit is always 1)

7. In a MIDI note-on message, after the status byte, what follows?
Show/Hide Answer

The key number and the velocity

8. What's one important note attribute that's not included in a MIDI note-on message.
Show/Hide Answer

Duration

9. What does a .mid file contain?
Show/Hide Answer

Time-tagged MIDI messages

10. Is MIDI good for transmitting audio?
Show/Hide Answer

No! It is used to transmit performance information.