One of the best parts of owning and operating a professional recording studio in San Antonio is the chance to use and stay on top of all the latest recording and sound technology. One crucial piece of the recording puzzle, MIDI, has been around since the 1980s, but it still has a strong impact on music and culture to this day.
If you are new to the world of audio recording and would like to learn more about what MIDI is, how it works and what its origins are, read on for a brief history and explanation.
MIDI definition and explanation
MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, and at its core, it is a system for taking music and making it accessible, easy to manipulate and edit and recordable through digital technology.
To wrap your head around what exactly MIDI is, think about sheet music. The notes and other symbols tell a musician what to play and how to play it. When a musician records a song using MIDI technology, the technology makes its own sort of sheet music, but with computer coding instead of musical notes. That coding is then used to tell the computer what the song sounds like and make it easy for sound technicians to edit or change the coding, and therefore the sound of the song.
Today, MIDI recording technology is the standard for any professional recording studio in San Antonio or beyond. A modern MIDI system can now record music in up to 16 different channels, all of which can be sent to different devices.
The origins and history of MIDI
The late 1970s and early 1980s was when electronic music started becoming popular in the mainstream, so it makes sense that this was when MIDI was born. In the late 1970s, some manufacturers were putting out recording devices using an early form of MIDI technology, but the equipment only worked with its own brand, meaning that true innovation in the field was limited.
In the early 1980s, synthesizer designers Dave Smith and Chet Wood finally created a universal synthesizer interface, meaning that different recording equipment could communicate with each other, regardless of the manufacturer. By 1983, the MIDI acronym was applied to machines of this kind, and it became a standard within the recording community.
To this day, musical and cultural historians credit MIDI technology with reinvigorating and permanently changing the recording industry. It greatly expanded sound engineers’ creative limits and made home recording a viable option for bands just starting out.
Using MIDI today
Today, MIDI technology is used for everything from AutoTuned pop songs to alternative rock albums. As a professional recording studio in San Antonio, Windmill Valley Recording is proud to use the best MIDI technology available, allowing us to give our clients the exact sound they are looking for.
If you are interested in taking advantage of Windmill Valley Recording’s MIDI technology and more, we invite you to get in touch with us anytime. We look forward to working with you.