<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="SGML-Tools 1.0.9"> <TITLE>The Linux MIDI-HOWTO : Background to MIDI.</TITLE> <LINK HREF="MIDI-HOWTO-7.html" REL=next> <LINK HREF="MIDI-HOWTO-5.html" REL=previous> <LINK HREF="MIDI-HOWTO.html#toc6" REL=contents> </HEAD> <BODY> <A HREF="MIDI-HOWTO-7.html">Next</A> <A HREF="MIDI-HOWTO-5.html">Previous</A> <A HREF="MIDI-HOWTO.html#toc6">Contents</A> <HR> <H2><A NAME="s6">6. Background to MIDI.</A></H2> <P> <P>MIDI is a set of hardware and software protocols used by electronic musical instruments to communicate. It was first released in 1982 and has become the de-facto communication standard between electronic musical instruments. The protocol specifies the physical hardware parameters for the cable and interfaces, and provides a well defined set of communication protocols to exchange musical and timing data. <P>Prior to MIDI there were several analog, and later basic digital, connection protocols. The earliest, circa. 1974, would transmit note information as a voltage though a wire from one keyboard to another. Later, 1980 - 1981, Roland created a basic digital protocol, DCB. The MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA), working with the equipment manufacturers, defined a standard protocol and physical connection which allowed equipment from all complying manufacturers to connect and communicate with each other. <P>>From 1985 MIDI interfaces started to appear on home computers and soon after sequencing programs appeared. <P> <P> <HR> <A HREF="MIDI-HOWTO-7.html">Next</A> <A HREF="MIDI-HOWTO-5.html">Previous</A> <A HREF="MIDI-HOWTO.html#toc6">Contents</A> </BODY> </HTML>