[linux-audio-user] Re: midi note numbers

Robert Epprecht epprecht at solnet.ch
Sat Apr 1 01:00:45 EST 2006


Steve Wahl <steve at pro-ns.net> writes:

> On Thu, Mar 30, 2006 at 09:05:12PM +0200, Robert Epprecht wrote:
>> "Paul Coccoli" <pcoccoli at gmail.com> writes:
>> 
>> > Just like how some apps use MIDI channels 0-15 and others 1-16. 
>> > Totally irritating.
>> 
>> I was just thinking about this these days (as I started to write a
>> simple midi editor for some of my gear). First I used 0-15, then
>> I saw that all my midi related books and documents use 1-16 so I
>> changed it, but now I see that I don't like it...
>
> I think there used to be a draft of the MIDI spec around on the
> internet that you could get (instead of paying the $50+ to get it from
> the MIDI people).  I printed it out, don't know where it is, and I
> can't find the file now.  Sorry.

I couldn't find that yet. Would be very interesting though.

> I believe the standard actually specifies that the human readable
> version of the channel numbers would be 1 based (1-16) [...]

Yes, I think this is the case.

> If it was me, I'd display both the Channel numbers and the Patch /
> Program change numbers as 1 based (1-16 and 1-128, respectively),
> because I know my two synths (Roland and Ensoniq) agree with this.

I think I make that the default, with the option to switch to 0-15
if I ever have midi gear that displays it this way. Displaying names
instead of numbers would also be an option (i.e. XY-Synth Z-Synth)


Thank you for the very nice links you gave us.

> http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/tech/midispec.htm
> http://www.gweep.net/~prefect/eng/reference/protocol/midispec.html 
> http://www.ibiblio.org/emusic-l/info-docs-FAQs/MIDI-doc/MIDI-Primer.txt
> http://www.harmony-central.com/MIDI/Doc/table2.html
> http://www.harmony-central.com/MIDI/Doc/doc.html

Robert Epprecht



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