Instruments

Being MIDI a musical interfaces is logical to asume that any instrument to be played by this mean must have an interface. There is a pletora of instruments being controlled by MIDI. Most of them in a form of a keyboard.

The following list is a recopilation of instruments that can be MIDI-controlled

• Digital pianos
• Normal customized pianos
• Digital guitars
• Digital trumpets
• Digital flutes
• Digital violins
• Synthetizers
• Sound modules
• Samplers
• Midi Efects
• Sequencers (software and hardware)

Every manufacturer must specify (in the manual) the posibilities of the instrument: how many channels are transmitted or recognized, play modes (mony, poly, omni, etc.), range of notes transmited and recognized, velocity range, etc. All this is summarized in the "MIDI Implementation Chart" a chart included in every manual mostly as a final page.

The manufacturer normally also gives its "Midi Data Format". This section explains how System Exclusive works for this instrument and is aimed at the software or hardware developer who wants to comunicate with this instrument.

It's been said before that MIDI is used to control more than just musical instruments. Such is the case of lightning systems used often in live concerts or theaters. In this case the manufacturer must display the same kind of information as the instrument manufacturer in order to know what are the posibilities of the device and how can be controlled.