| The acronym MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It is a communications protocol that facilitates the recording, playback, and transfer of synthesizer-generated and computer-controlled musical information. |
| MIDI does not endeavor to encode sound waves. Instead, it encodes information about characteristics like timing, pitch, volume, and instrument selection. This data is then interpreted by a dedicated synthesizer or computer sound card and played live, in much the same manner as scroll-driven player pianos used to perform. |
| MIDI assigns numbers for pitch and for volume (velocity) that range from to 0 to 127. Middle C is assigned note number 60. |
| Event timing and durations are generally measured using 480 clicks per designated beat of music. |
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