Knowledge base

MIDI in The Grid 2

The Grid 2 can control MIDI devices with ease. MIDI (or Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a series of simple commands developed in the early 1980’s to control electronic instruments. This has grown into a universal way of accessing many devices as well as playing back audio.

MIDI Note – the easy way to use MIDI

The “MIDI Note” command will play a single MIDI note. This is the easiest MIDI command to use. Select the note that you want, and the channel (instrument) to play it on.

You need to select the channel – you can have more than one MIDI device connected at a time (e.g. drum machine and synthesiser) and each one gets a different channel.

Complicated MIDI – for the experts!

These commands are more advanced.

MIDI Note On / Off

If you want to take more control, the Note On and Note Off commands can be used to specify when a note starts or stops. For example, to play a chord you could use 3 Note On commands, then wait, then 3 Note Off commands.

You also get to specify the velocity – how quickly the note fades.

Please be aware that every Note On command should be followed by a corresponding Note Off command at some point afterwards.

MIDI Aftertouch

This is used to change the pressure applied to a key. Instruments with pressure-sensing keys use this.

Midi controller message

This sets a value for a MIDI controller. This depends on the MIDI device that you are using, but it can set values such as the tempo or the volume.

Midi program change

For most MIDI devices, the program is the instrument. This command tells your MIDI device to change program.

Here is the standard instrument listing:

1-8 Piano
9-16 Chromatic Percussion
17-24 Organ
25-32 Guitar
33-40 Bass
41-48 Strings
49-56 Ensemble
57-64 Brass
65-72 Reed
73-80 Pipe
81-88 Synth Lead
89-96 Synth Pad
97-104 Synth Effects
105-112 Ethnic
113-120 Percussive
121-128 Sound Effects

Here is the full list:

1. Accoustic grand piano
2. Bright piano
3. Electric grand piano
4. Honky-tonk piano
5. Electric piano 2
6. Electric piano 1
7. Harpsichord
8. Clavi
9. Celesta
10. Glockenspiel
11. Music box
12. Vibraphone
13. Marimba
14. Xylophone
15. Tubular bells
16. Dulcimer
17. Drawbar organ
18. Percussive organ
19. Rock organ
20. Church organ
21. Reed organ
22. Accordian
23. Harmonica
24. Tango accordian
25. Nylon string guitar
26. Steel string guitar
27. Jazz guitar
28. Clean electric guitar
29. Muted electric guitar
30. Overdrive guitar
31. Distortion guitar
32. Guitar harmonics
33. Accoustic bass
34. Fingered bass
35. Picked bass
36. Fretless bass
37. Slap bass 1
38. Slap bass 2
39. Synth bass 1
40. Synth bass 2
41. Violin
42. Viola
43. Cello
44. Contrabass
45. Tremolo strings
46. Pizzicato strings
47. Orchestral harp
48. Timpani
49. String ensemble 1
50. String ensemble 2
51. Synthesized strings 1
52. Synthesized strings 2
53. Choir ahh
54. Choir oohh
55. Synthesized voice
56. Orchestral hit
57. Trumpet
58. Trombone
59. Tuba
60. Muted trumpet
61. French horn
62. Brass section
63. Synthesized brass 1
64. Synthesized brass 2
65. Soprano sax
66. Alto sax
67. Tenor sax
68. Baritone sax
69. Oboe
70. English horn
71. Bassoon
72. Clarinet
73. Piccolo
74. Flute
75. Recorder
76. Pan flute
77. Blown bottle
78. Shakuhachi
79. Whistle
80. Ocarina
81. Square wave
82. Sawtooth wave
83. Caliope
84. Chiff
85. Charang
86. Voice
87. Fifth’s
88. Bass&lead
89. New age
90. Warm
91. Polysynth
92. Choir
93. Bowed
94. Metallic
95. Halo
96. Sweep
97. FX rain
98. FX soundtrack
99. FX crystal
100. FX atmosphere
101. FX brightness
102. FX goblins
103. FX echo drops
104. FX star theme
105. Sitar
106. Banjo
107. Shamisen
108. Koto
109. Kalimba
110. Bagpipe
111. Fiddle
112. Shanai
113. Tinkle bell
114. Agogo
115. Steel drums
116. Woodblock
117. Taiko drum
118. Melodic tom
119. Synthesized drum
120. Reverse cymbal
121. Guitar fret noise
122. Breath noise
123. Seashore
124. Bird tweet
125. Telephone ring
126. Helicopter
127. Applause
128. Gunshot

You can find more information about the instruments available on the web, for example at this site:

http://www.midi.org/about-midi/gm/gm1sound.shtml

MIDI Channel Aftertouch

This is similar to the MIDI Aftertouch command, which is used to change the pressure of a note that is already playing. The MIDI Channel Aftertouch command applies to all notes playing on the specified channel (rather than just one note).

MIDI custom message

If you know what you are doing with MIDI then you can use this command to send any MIDI message that you like. If you don’t know what you are doing with MIDI then it is best to leave this one alone.

Selecting a MIDI device

If you have multiple MIDI devices connected to your computer, you can select which one you want to use in User Settings.