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MID - Musical Instrument Digital Interface MIDI-sequention Sound

What is a MID file

The MID file format was developed to transfer data in between applications for musicians and audio developers, allowing them to play multiple files from a single controller. The files contain specifications for various parameters like notation, pitch, velocity, and control signals. All of these help in tempo control for multiple devices. The MID file format offers compactness, ease of modification, and choice of instrument.

The Standard MID file format contains two variations, Type 0 and Type 1. Type 0 is single track data while Type 1 is multi-track data. A MID link can carry sixteen independent channels of information numbered from 1-16. MID messages are made up of 8-bit words (bytes) that are transmitted serially at 31.25 kbaud. The messages may be device specific, for example in case of channel messages which can be heard on devices receiving on that channel only.

Here's a small, but not exhaustive list of programs that can open MID documents:

  • Audio Evolution
  • Sonar
  • Master Tacks Pro
  • GarageBand