[LAD] basic MIDI note-on/note-off questions

[Clemens Ladisch]

James Morris wrote:
> 1) Notes of zero duration?
> 
> Are these legal MIDI?

Yes.  There are synthesizers that can play percussion sounds at their
natural length and ignore note-off messages, so, sometimes, note-off
timing isn't available.

> Do I send a note-on with simultaneous note-off?

Yes.  Some standards say that each note-on must have a corresponding
note-off.

> 2) note x ending simultaneously with note y beginning
> 
> For example, a sequence of eighth notes, each an eighth in duration.
> 
> As far as processing of these events goes, which should be processed first?

This depends.  It is possible that a synthesizer plays these notes in
legato for certain instruments, but only if the note-on of the second
note is received before the note-off of the first note.  And it's
possible that certain other notes are _not_ intended to be played legato.

Multiple messages with the same timestamp should never be reordered by
the sequencer.


Regards,
Clemens