This Moment

All About MIDI

Special thanks to Deejay Jai on the posting.

As progressively more music is produced digitally, MIDI equipment has become a standard, even a necessity. MIDI, which stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, is a means of sending digital information from one electronic device to another. For example, sending music from a keyboard to a computer for recording.

Digital music technology first gained momentum in the 1970s as electronic instruments became more widely available and affordable. While the advancement of digital technology helped music progress rapidly, there was still a disconnect between many different manufacturers' equipment. Issues with the original equipment range from analog control voltages at various standards (one volt per octave or hertz per volt), and proprietary digital interfaces, such as Roland Corporation's DCB (Digital Control Bus) and Yamaha's "keycode" system.

In 1981 Dave Smith of Sequential Circuits submitted a request to the Audio Engineering Society for the MIDI standard, which would require certain specifications that allowed electronic equipment to be used together. The proposal was met with enthusiasm, and Dave Smith is known today as the "Father of MIDI." Today, MIDI technology has been standardized and is maintained by the MIDI Manufacturer's Association (MMA). Part of MIDI's success is that the technology has remained essentially unchanged in the face of technological developments since its introduction in 1983. As Smith himself says, "People don't realize how much MIDI has been integrated into computers and even cellphones ... It's just as viable today as it was 25 years ago."

Even at MIDI's conception, cables and ports were created with five pins and ports, even though only three were needed. These extra pins were added to ensure MIDI's ability to operate with the development of new technology, which still, after 25 years, has not been developed.

MIDI synthesizers are extremely versatile and can be built into an operating system, sound card, embedded device (e.g. hardware-based synthesizer) or a software-based synthesizer. The file format stores information on what note to play and when, or other important information such as possible pitch-bend during the envelope of the note or the note's velocity. This is advantageous for applications such as mobile phone ringtones and some video games, however, it may be a disadvantage to other applications because the information doesn't guarantee an accurate waveform will be heard by the receiver.

Another way MIDI improved the presence of digital music is in size. Prior to the MIDI standard, musicians were often hidden behind a large wall of synthesizers and equipment. MIDI technology allows artists to control more instruments from one place.
Almost all music recordings today use MIDI devices. In addition, MIDI is also used to control hardware, including recording devices and sound effect modules, as well as live performance equipment such as stage lights and effects pedals. MIDI allows computers, synthesizers, MIDI controllers, sound cards, samplers and drum machines to control one another, and to exchange system data. Another important result of MIDI has been the development of hardware and computer-based sequencers, which can be used to record, edit, and play back performances.

Because MIDI is a means of communicating data, and not a transfer of actual sound, MIDI makes it possible to control and synchronize various instruments as well as "event messages" like pitch, intensity, volume, and tempo. With MIDI, a synthesizer is plugged into a computer and recorded in real time without the distraction of background noises or feedback from microphones and other analog hardware. MIDI doesn't "pick up" a sound, it merely transmits digital information from one source to another.

The fact that each MIDI synthesizer has its own methods for producing the sound from the MIDI instructions provided could be considered a disadvantage. Often, when the same MIDI byte stream is outputted from one machine to another on a generic sound card or even a MIDI synthesizer on another operating system, the actual audible result may differ from the original. One sound card's synthesizer might not reproduce the exact sounds of another synthesizer. This is also a key reason that the idea of a "MIDI sound," meaning poor audio quality, is incorrect. The misconception is likely a result of the poor sound synthesis provided by many early sound cards, which relied on FM synthesis (a form of audio synthesis where the quality of a musical note, or simple wave form, is changed by frequency modulating it) instead of wavetables (a series of sampled notes from an analog instrument) to produce audio.

Both software and hardware available for MIDI is extensive. Almost any instrument imaginable has an electronic counterpart and many software programs exist to perform tasks such as converting files from MIDI format to .wav or .MP3. In many ways, MIDI has revolutionized the frontier of digital music, both in recording and performing, and has made the production of high-quality music accessible to even the casual musician. Smith says, "[MIDI] started the whole home recording phenomenon ... it was actually possible to record at home by yourself."

Source:
Tatiana Ryckman, Open Labs Staff Writerhttp://openlabs.com/all-about-midi.html

Andrew Dubber – The 20 Things You Must Know About Music Online

Andrew Dubber is the Degree Leader for Music Industries at UCE Birmingham, UK. He is a senior lecturer and researcher with a particular interest in online music, radio and new media technology.

This posting is based on a free e-book located at http://newmusicstrategies.com The website is devoted to help small-medium music businesses and independent artists who use new online technologies and strategies in order to make money and thrive in the new environment.

I seriously recommend everybody in the music industry to download the e-book.

In summary, these are The 20 Things You Must Know About Music Online:

1 Don’t Believe the Hype:

Sandi Thom, the Arctic Monkeys and Lily Allen are not super famous, rich and successful just because of MySpace, and nor because they miraculously drew a crowd of thousands to their homegrown webcast. PR, traditional media, record labels and money were all involved.

2 Hear / Like / Buy:

It’s the golden rule. People hear music, then they like music, then they buy music. It’s the only order it can happen in. If you try to do it in any other sequence, it just won’t work.

3 Opinion Leaders Rule:

We know the importance of radio and press. There are now new opinion leaders who will tell your story with credibility. You need to find out who they are — or better yet, become one of them.

4 Customise:

A tailored solution at best, or at the very least a bespoke kitset approach to your web presence is crucial. An off-the-shelf number will almost guarantee your anonymity.

5. The Long Tail:

Chris Anderson has pretty much proved that the future of retail is selling less of more. Put everything online. Expand your catalogue. You will make more money selling a large number of niche products than you will selling a few hits.

6 Web 2.0:

Forget being a destination — become an environment. Your website is not a brochure — it’s a place where people gather and connect with you and with each other.

7 Connect:

Your website is not a promotional strategy. Learn how to tell a story, and learn how to tell it in an appropriate fashion for web communication. Think about how that could be translated for both new media and mainstream PR outlets.

8 Cross-promote:

Your online stuff is not a replacement for your offline stuff, and nor does it exist independently of it. Figure out how to make the two genuinely intersect.

9 Fewer Clicks:

This is especially true if you want somebody to part with their money. If I have to fill in a form, navigate through three layers of menu and then enter a password, I don’t want your music any more.

10 Professionalism:

If this is your business, you need to be businesslike. Treat your online profile the same way you would treat any of your business communication.

11 The Death of Scarcity:

The economics of the internet is fundamentally different to the economics of the world of shelves and limited stock. You can give away a million copies of your record in order to sell a thousand.

12 Distributed Identity:

From a PR perspective, you are better off scattering yourself right across the internet, than you are staying put in one place. Memberships, profiles, comments, and networks are incredibly helpful.

13 SEO:

You need to understand how Search Engine Optimisation works, and how you can maximise your chances of being found. Be both findable — and searchable.

14 Permission:

Your message must be welcome, relevant and personally useful. Letting people choose to engage with you is a far more effective targetting strategy than spamming them.
15 RSS:

Provide it, use it and teach it. RSS is the single most important aspect of your site. Treat it as such - but remember it’s still new for most people. Help your audience come to grips with it.

16 Accessibility:

Not everyone has a fast computer or high speed access. Not everybody has the gift of sight. Make everything you do online accessible. It’s easy to do, it’s important, and it stops you from turning people away at the door.

17 Reward & Incentivise:

Everything is now available all of the time. Give people a reason to consider you as part of their economic engagement with music.

18 Frequency is everything:

Repeat business is one of the most successful commercial strategies in the cultural industries. You want people to come back? Give them something to come back to that they haven’t seen before.

19 Make it viral:

Whatever you do, make it something that people will want to send to other people. Your best marketing is word of mouth, because online, word of mouth is exponentially more powerful.

20 Forget product — sell relationship:

The old model of music business is dominated by the sale of an individual artefact for a set sum of money. The new model is about starting an ongoing economic relationship with a community of fans.

Najwa Mahiaddin

Music is part of any culture and without doubt, part of anybody’s life from birth to death.

It has been proven that Music has a lot to do with Multiple Intelligences. It is not coincident that artists related to music have the higher probability to be good in mathematics and speed reading. Ancient civilizations had recognized singers and musicians as better people. How so true. Who else are more sensitive and caring other than the musical artists? The musical artworks are among those few that derived directly from hearts and souls.

I am honored having Najwa Mahiaddin featured as the first posting of this blog. She has the quality through having the ability to touch the souls, revoke reactions and expression of different moods and emotions. She has the talent both as a singer and as a songwriter. Yet she is highly educated ( an electronic engineer graduate) while being creative. Have I said music has a lot to do with Multiple Intelligences? Yes, I have.

Her musical preferences in music is blues, jazz, hip hop and sometimes summarized as neo
souls (don’t take this as true as I am so not good in music classifications or genres). The point is, she is proving something.

To me, music fills but is independent onto time and space. No one has the right to classify music as outdated or old or out of trend or anything like that. The fact is, those who appreciate music, appreciate all the dimensions given by music. Folk music, Classical Music, Rock Classic Music, Blues, Jazz and so many others are still relevant. It has always been the quality on how music, singing and performing are presented. In music itself, it is about how the beats and rhythms, the harmonies, the dynamics and the melodies are delivered.

Najwa has what it takes. Her pronunciation is clear. Her voice is pleasing yet powerful. Her
singing is dynamic. Her music is no nonsense. Despite that genres like blues and jazz are
considered not the mainstream, I must say Najwa is among those few in the industry that is
unique, branded and an artist with a lot of bravery. To be brave enough against the norm is
what I consider what Najwa really is.

Interestingly, there is something else about Najwa regarding her characteristics. Parts of
them are inherited. No, I’m not a believer that a leader is born but she is born in a family of
leaders. In so many ways, she must have inherited the characteristics as the family must
have brought her up to be honest, visionary, have faith, good communicator, courageous,
confident, full of tenacity and perseverance.

Najwa is a daughter of Tan Sri Dato' Muhyiddin Muhammad Yassin who is the current
Deputy Prime Minister. She is a granddaughter of Muhammad Yassin bin Mohammad who
was an Islamic scholar. Thus, I must say the integrity of her characteristics is unquestionable. The problems is, she is exposed to the political side of criticism.

Well, I am myself among those who are very critical towards the present government
particularly their policies and implementations among so many other things. Still, Najwa has
nothing to do with all these. However, there are idiots who are so fond on judging people
irrelevantly.

What is cynical regarding the criticism of this side is, the judgments are of ‘Islamic’ based.

Is singing forbidden in Islam? Is entertainment forbidden in Islam? How about other musical artwork? Was not Prophet Muhammad pbuh himself was proud having Muslims who sang well? Was not Prophet Muhammad pbuh himself took Siti Aishah into his arms listening and enjoying to music and singing?

Oh, then there are issues regarding the dressing codes. Well, those critics have some points but is it not regarding having decency?

True decency is from within where the inward piety is but those who have judged Najwa
irrelevantly and worse, on behalf of Islam prefer the physical attributes. They forget that the
relationship with God is not physical tangible or measurable. It is our purposes in life to be as decent as possible with the structures of our elements – bodies, minds, souls and spirits. Those who judge Najwa not as a singer-songwriter or an artist in the musical industry surely
deserve my deepest sympathy :-)

Politically, economically and socially, the flow of life is everybody plays the part. Some of us are students, some are farmers, some are industrialists, some are politicians, some are writers, some are artists, some are traders, and so on and our existences are not useless. We have differences but that’s the beauty of it where we get to know and learn and even lean on one another. One thing for sure, that Najwa has the quality through having the ability to touch the souls, revoke reactions and expression of different moods and emotions makes life not tasteless :-)

Meantime, let us enjoy and hear the canary sings …