Customer Reviews

MIDI Power!: The Comprehensive Guide

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Although a variety of MIDI gear has been replaced by software, in-depth information about MIDI is as useful as ever. A full two decades after its inception, most musicians working in the electronic realm only have a cursory knowledge of what this technology is capable of and how to fully take advantage of it within the modern recording studio. Fortunately, the second edition of MIDI Power is designed to clear up much of this mystery. The first few chapters address MIDI hardware, General MIDI, and Standard MIDI Files, followed by almost 60 pages devoted to MIDI messages. Two chapters on MIDI computer basics lead to discussions of sequencing, virtual instruments, and advanced topics. The author guides users through various real-world scenarios on how to incorporate MIDI's myriad functions into the average studio situation, including topics such as SysEx data, General MIDI, the use of USB and FireWire MIDI devices, and how to interface computers and external hardware. The book's appendices are gold mines of information, incorporating technical explanations, practical tips, and the official MIDI 1.0 Specification. Each chapter ends with review problems for which there are answers in the back of the book. The book is profusely illustrated and is a worthwhile update to the valuable but aged first edition. I highly recommend it. Amazon does not show the table of contents, so I do that here:
1. The Basics - Covers the history and definition of MIDI.
2. Basic MIDI Messages - Looks at the information contained in a MIDI message and its syntax.
3. Control Change Messages - Looks at a specific type of MIDI message, the Control Changes, and how to use this type of message to control a performance.
4. General MIDI and Standard MIDI Files - Addresses compatibility when sharing MIDI files with others. Discusses the General MIDI file format and extensions made to it.
5. MIDI Hardware Devices - From sound modules to MIDI patch bays, looks at a wide range of MIDI-supporting audio devices.
6. MIDI and the Computer MIDI Interfaces - What you need to start using your computer with external MIDI devices.
7. MIDI Inside Your Computer - How to get your computer working properly with MIDI and audio applications as well as MIDI/audio related peripherals.
8. Sequencing with MIDI - Looks at the most popular type of MIDI application inside your computer and covers its configuration, the recording process, and editing environment.
9. MIDI Software: A Sound Creation Environment - Looks at the world of software instruments.
10. MIDI Software Applications - An overview of the different ways that programmers have used their skills to make MIDI very versatile. Also looks at creating MIDI-enabled web pages.
11. Deeper into MIDI: System Exclusive and Synchronization - Along with SysEx, examines how you can synchronize different devices, software, and video using MIDI's synchronization options.
12. The Standard MIDI File Format - This completes chapter four's introduction to the SMF by looking at the construction of a MIDI file, its parameters, and the values within those parameters. Here you learn how to repair a corrupted MIDI file.
Appendices
A. Understanding Binary, Decimal, and Hexidecimal
B. MIDI 1.0 Specification
C. Understanding Timing Concepts
D. The MIDI Troubleshooting Checklist
E. Midi Arrangements: Tips & Tricks
F. Review Questions: Answers

Moving forward with technological change and software upgrades we tend to forget the nuances of MIDI that we learn along the way. MIDI POWER has these chronicled, and more, in organized detail. It is good to refresh your memory from time to time, and so this book goes on the reference shelf.

I am over halfway through this book, and it is the best book on all things MIDI that I have ever read. I intend to use it to teach MIDI. Unlike most books that do a great job for two chapters then make a quantum leap - THis one takes you through painstaking explanations of things that the other tomes do not cover.

Most excellent.

Great introduction into MIDI and it's applications, and a good reference guide for experienced users, and new users alike. I bought this for a MIDI class I'm taking, and it's actually quite an interesting read, if you're into that kind of stuff that is. Great, in depth, and easy to understand.

This has to be one of the most comprehensive and accessible descriptions of MIDI on the market. There is one major item missing from it however, and that is a description of General MIDI version 2 (GM2).

This book is well written. My interest was just the MIDI message format. This book has lot more than that and focus on the message format was not as much as I needed. If your focus is MIDI message format and in-depth analysis of that, this probably is not the most suitable. A larger overview is covered well in this. The pictures and the hardware discussed in this book are outdated.