#C0 MIDI NOTE NUMBER PATCH#

Here's where the jamstik comes in the jamstik defaults to transmitting MIDI on 6 channels.

#C0 MIDI NOTE NUMBER PATCH#

Many users might just connect a USB-MIDI controller and start playing into a DAW and never have a need to leave the default MIDI channel (which is usually Channel 1.) If you're not aware that a patch or device might be only receiving on Channel 2 or Channel 10, you could be sending MIDI all day from Channel 1 and scratching your head. MIDI Channels can be a source of confusion. Every MIDI event has a corresponding MIDI Channel. If we wanted the computer on Channel 2 to display 'Music' we'd change the channel of our QWERTY keyboard to MIDI Out Channel 2.

Our magical MIDI connections between computers would allow us to type 'Music' on MIDI Channel 1, and the computers addressed on channels 2 through 16 would know that our 'Music' typing wasn't intended for them - it was addressed on MIDI Channel 1. If we revisit our QWERTY analogy, having 16 channels available gives you the ability to type 'MUSIC' on 16 different computer screens from one connected QWERTY keyboard without having to repatch it to every machine. When MIDI was being conceptualized, the really smart brains behind it gave each MIDI cable (or port) the ability to handle 16 channels. It's not important to memorize the Note Numbers as long as you understand that each one is unique, and they range from 0 (C0 - way low in pitch) in consecutive ascending order through to 127 (G11 - which is off the map of an 88 key controller.) The Note Number is unique and important as it indicates what pitch the receiving MIDI device should generate. There are 128 MIDI Note numbers available, they're all unique so there's no possibility of a C4 getting interpreted as a C3 or C5 because C4 has a Note Number of 60. The Note On C4 isn't really transmitted as 'C4.' It's transmitted as MIDI Note Number 60. If we break that down a step further we can tease out some more understanding. It indicates what MIDI Channel the Note On was sent from ( Channel 3 - and we'll talk about Channels next so don't let that throw you,)Īnd it has a Velocity value of 72 (which indicates on a range from 0-127 you played it at around two-thirds of maximum intensity.) It has a Note On with a Note Number ( C4,)

This is the basics of the MIDI message that incorporate all of the usual parameters associated with a plain-jane 'Note On.' This isn't EXACTLY how it looks, but it's roughly the idea. That's a 'C.' When you strike that string with a pick, the jamstik sends out a MIDI Event that looks like this: Let's go back to playing a note the G string of your jamstik, fret 5. In this entry I'm going to break down what really happens when you play a 'C' on the jamstik or a keyboard controller, and hopefully bring some clarity to the whole concept. It leaves out a lot of details but helps frame the basic concept. This is the most rudimentary idea of conceptualizing MIDI control. If you've read the previous entry (thanks,) I used the analogy of MIDI keyboard controllers being similar to QWERTY keyboards.

C0 midi note number