Intro to MIDI for Idiots - from a pianist perspective

An intro to MIDI. Simplified explanation of MIDI from a pianist/keyboard perspective.

[@hannamiranda147]

I clicked right away when I read "for idiots" finallyyyyyyy

[@JaswiL-_51]

Thankyou. You just made me NOT waste 12 minutes of my life, unlike those other MIDI explanation videos

[@molliemk3477]

This was great thanks so much! I’m a classically trained pianist. I have no idea how to use the midi keypads at all, and none of the KZbin video guys explain it well enough without complicating it and sounding smartarsed without really explaining it. It’s great you explain it from pianist perspective in mind.

[@DocBree13]

This is exactly what I was going to write :)

[@santinocaldarone]

This is the best midi video on you tube in my opinion. Good job.

[@PianoManChuck]

Thanks!!

[@DerPixelgamer]

1000% agree

[@adnan75300]

100% agree with you my fellow youTuber.

[@jonrizzo3998]

Jon - This is excellent! You are a great teacher and humanize technology, which is rare! Thank you

[@jimmymacfarland3724]

Chuck, your video is wonderful. Yes, there are a lot of ground level people who need the very basics like you present. Thank you very mucha

[@archieyanson2650]

Hahaha...I like your term, GROUND LEVEL, actually they were those who really were over using the convinience of this digital interface .while without the Midi they don't even know the keyboard and its use.hahaha. ....(no offense to those who pretend to be playing live) live-wired maybe.

[@bigoiyavoo6558]

Clear, sharp and crisp explanation of what MIDI is. Broken down to such simplicity People love when things are ex

[@iainmcaleese5468]

This has cleared a few things up for me. Unfortunately I bought some WIDI devices that I didn’t actually need. We learn. Thanks

[@StephenAbbott-pb1sm]

Thank you very much for your great explaining midi..this as been a great help.. at last I know to connect to my computer...

[@joseph-ow1hf]

Not that you or any of your viewers probably care, but MIDI can also be used to control DMX software stage lighting controllers like the one from Sweetlight. This means you can set up scenes and trigger form something like a Novation Launchpad. Sorry to digress. But on music, if you get a key board w/ action you like, but not sounds? Add an outboard sound module. MIDI is seriously cool stuff.

[@bonnieking5493]

Wonderful explanation! I am 62 years old and this was much more understandable than those fast talking young guys. Thank you.

[@san.the.gentleman]

Thanks Chuck, this helped me a lot to understand what midi is all about. Tomorrow I will start to use my first keyboard (at the age of 40). Peace out!

[@nick4879]

Well done Chuck!!! First explanation I've heard that I comprehend. Thanks brother!!!

[@WDON2010]

Oh, this is perfect! This is just what this retired engineer/hobbyist musician needs to get started. Thank you!

[@michaeldean9338]

PM Chuck! You're the man! I learned more from you in 9 minutes than a lot of these ,esp young bucks, combined! NOTHING touches Old School! I'm pushing 60. I studied music (woodwinds) for a while, but haven't played in almost 25 years. THIS TIME I want to enjoy myself, have fun, and-- ultimately-- attempt to create the musical sounds and production concepts i have in my head. I can kick myself because I had a chance to take MIDI course when it first hit the scene. I'm NOT a keyboardist, but I can play and form scales and chords. I'd appreciate your suggestion on how to approach learning more about sound engineering at my age. Keep up the great work! So glad I stumbled upon your video! Peace...

[@MA-nh2on]

Wow, this is far and away the most helpful intro to MIDI I've ever seen! I grew up on an acoustic grand piano, then used a Rhodes through the 70s and onto a Yamaha DX7 in the 80s. Never really used (or thought I needed) MIDI. This has been so helpful in understanding this technology from a pianist's standpoint. Thank you!

[@rwoodard6984]

Simple and informative explanation. Good job explaining MIDI.

[@drewmyself189]

I’m giving this a thumbs up just for the video title alone 🤣🤣

[@kiefferz5556]

Thank you for explaining midi i had no understanding of it

[@arbitrarylib]

Thank you. I play piano and was so confused about MIDI.

[@princegoro6840]

I can not thank you enough for this video. I’ve just recently purchased a Yamaha PSR E363 and I’m starting to learn to play the keyboard. I was so confused about what a midi is. It’s my life’s ambition to be able to play movie scores.

[@sunnysouthguy357]

How is it going?

[@SpaceAudio]

This is what is missing from most of instructional videos on internet: the basics or fundamentals. Thank you for posting this video.

[@Alan-bw5ec]

Strange language...you say it's called Plain English. Very well presented and simple to understand. Well done! Thank you very much.

[@PianoManChuck]

Glad you liked it!

[@chrisr794]

Really enjoy your videos, Chuck. I am an 81 yo piano learner.

[@PianoManChuck]

Rock on!

[@mortenjohansen5781]

Nice explanation, thank's.

[@mirandabarnes2895]

Best explanation ever!

[@wendyherr8855]

Oh, thank goodness for your video! I was going crazy trying to understand this. Trying to connect my computer with pre-done MIDI files to a church organ that has MIDI, and I didn't have a clue. I was afraid I'd wreck the organ!

[@allornada9564]

Goodness, thank you so much!!

[@TingALingMusicBox]

clear and concise. thanks for simplifying it for the layman.

[@PeterWalkerHP16c]

MIDI and TCP/IP were so well thought that we still use them decades later. Exception rather than the rule.

[@SuperLittleTyke]

Yes, I've done a lot of MIDI programming and the succinct but precise way the designers of the MIDI protocol planned it all is just beautiful. When I started using MIDI quite a few years ago there were no USB/MIDI cables or adapters. In two of my PCs I still have the Creative Labs sound card with the MIDI adapter for the joystick socket!

[@PeterWalkerHP16c]

@@SuperLittleTyke Yeah I had one of those, maybe mid '90s. The guys with the Ataris were set.

[@DocBree13]

@@SuperLittleTyke that’s awesome :) you should make a video of that for posterity (and my curiosity)

[@jacobalexander541]

Great !!!! works. Just blow my head off on how to explain MIDI to my14 yr. daughter for whom i just got a sythn. keyboard. Tq for making it so simple/complete.

[@KoolKatRecordingStudios]

Yes makes more sense to me too as MUSICAL INTERFACE - DIGITAL INSTRUMENT. Exactly. Thanks For The Video. Liked 👍 Subscribed & Shared. 😎

[@themillicow]

Thank you! You explain things very well and clearly.

[@abcxyz-nd6xh]

Straight forward, To-the-point exaplanation of MIDI

[@user-he1pp9gh1l]

Bravo! Now I understand this MIDI you speak off.

[@tanvis4641]

Thanks!

[@51MontyPython]

Why do you need a MIDI out _and_ in, on your instrument? I understand the data going out to be sent to your computer/DAW, for recording, but what data would travel _back_ to your keyboard (from your computer) and for what purpose? Is that to take something pre-recorded and send it from your computer (DAW?) to your instrument so that it plays back the song on your instrument? Just want to make sure I'm understanding this. Also, when you record in MIDI, as opposed to actual sound, are you still able to hear what you're playing as you record? Also when you've got the one piano hooked up to the other -- are you hearing the sound come out of the 2nd piano? And is there a way to hook up two pianos together where you get the sound of the 2nd piano playing through the speakers for the 1st?

[@pchamdany]

Thanks

[@Cigarsnguitars]

Cleared up several questions I had. Thanks for "dumbing" it down to practical uses.

[@308-blackout]

I think that 1. Saying music interface for digital instruments limits the idea of midi because theres software like WIDI which take audio from analog instruments and outputs a midi signal to the unit therefore music instrument digital interface is sorta another meaning 2. This is a great video very simply explained and very easy to understand

[@Adiwisastra]

So very simple straightforward and explanatory! Now i figure out to differentiate between typical look alike those instruments with tuts are for. I thought those are just piano and keyboards and midi was one of keyboards. Thanks for enlightment

[@markcatlin4146]

Cool

[@michelleparsons9881]

Right up my alley, I got a 75 page user manual for my Midi controller...😂

[@enocholajubu1993]

The keyboard I want to use has five effects/voice. I midi to have access to a lot of effects/sounds. Can that be possible

[@horationelson57]

Hello. I'm watching you in 2021. Considering MIDI functionality--I would like to purchase a Casio Key Lighting keyboard ( I am a beginner). Have you a relevant video about such MIDI usage? Thank you

[@exploracionesconluis102]

This is just amazing

[@MacePhotography]

Excellent explanation. Now I am enlightened. Thank you.

[@LillianGreenHiLilly]

Great advice, Thank you. I just wished you coud have also focused on connecting the muisc keyboard up to the computer to ansmit soundd, because this is somthng Ive never done and I like to learn. Maybe you have in another video. I'll take a look.

[@MA-iridium]

best video to understand MIDI I was getting confused watching other videos, now I really understand,Cheers!!!

[@АлександрЛапченко-н4е]

Well done video. Thanks a lot for that. exemplary video. And if you will release a video about any way how to connect any Workstation for Exempel PC3A to a MIDI interfaces order to record music signal.

[@grahamcmusic]

Great teacher So logical

[@PianoManChuck]

Thanks!

[@videoanalyzers]

Excellent! Concise, clear and very easy to follow Thank you!

[@mmaaiissee1]

I am really an idiot on Midi. I have a Casio WK7600. Can you introduce an app I can download on my Laptop to connect to keyboard please. Thanis a lot.

[@jasoncisney5566]

Thanks so much, I was so confused about this and it makes sense now!

[@gerardkirkpatricksanchez2121]

Thank youuu!! (5 years after)

[@abc-yv2js]

I have some bass pedals from an old organ and I want them to be midi so I can use a good synth module on them. What do I buy or how do I do this? Thanks for any advice

[@ayeroberts]

Excellent video, well done Chuck!!!

[@henryraymond8676]

So the short answer is that midi is a digital (think computer) system for recording data not music per se. It does not record or send/ receive an audio signal like the old tape machines etc. It records etc., only data. Like a computer it only stores the key you press, the velocity of that key, the duration and several other factors relating to the data of that key. Therefore, because you are NOT storing or sending /receiving audio you can easily manipulate it like a computer. If you misspell a word in a word processing program you can easily correct it later that sort of thing. In fact, using a computer and a digital workstation, think mixing board, you can later basically alter almost every aspect of your recorded MIDI, not audio, data. The pitch, notes, velocity, timing, everything. This is why half the MUSAK recorded today is really just computers which have been programmed to play a certain way there are no, or very few, actual musicians. However, don't expect to actually sound like Eric Clapton or Ginger Baker, unless perhaps you sample them, and yes they use computers to analyse sounds that occur on recordings to figure out whether you have stolen someone else's sounds and put them out there for commercial use and you will be sued to pay for it. It's great to have MIDI just don't expect it to replace an actual human musician. There are many nuances of playing that are basically pretty difficult to copy using just a computer. They are getting better though. So if you want to spend like $20,000 to get all the kewl stuff and you know how to play, at least keyboard, you can sound almost like an entire band.

[@PianoManChuck]

Your comprehension is pretty much straight on! But that is one aspect of MIDI - there's much more! It can also be used to control other MIDI instruments (one MIDI device can control up to 16 MIDI devices by daisy chaining each device's MIDI IN and OUT jacks to the next device's). In fact, I use a Keytar (keyboard that straps around your neck like a guitar) when I want to go into the audience during a performance - it has a MIDI OUT which I hook a MIDI cable into, and the other end goes into my digital piano (on stage) so that when I play the Keytar, it actually sends the MIDI info to my stage piano, which in turn plays it as though I were sitting at that stage piano! MIDI also has other uses, like controlling stage lights from a keyboard, and other things. So basically my "intro to MIDI" only covered one aspect.

[@xp50player]

MIDI is just a means of transmitting notes and controller info. It doesn’t record and produce Muzak on its own.

[@LenyStorozka]

By MIDI you just giving informations to computer which key you press, how strong and how long do you holding it. It depends of your DAW ( [ Digital Audio Workstation ] program for making music) and its plugins like Virtual Piano, Virtual Drums, Virtual Strings ... etc etc what sound you will get from your MIDI recorded file. Every plugin has its own scheme of keys (for example in drummer you can have C2 as kick and D2 as Snare, C4 as Crash and A5 as 1st Tom.... You can play and record Piano song then you can load your MIDI file to another instrument/plugin and you can get sound of organ on it. Also you can easily edit your file by erasing or moving or cutting the notes, balance the volume or length of it and save it as MIDI.Simply said MIDI is notation for Virtual instruments same like for musician is notation sheets. BTW you can play MIDI also in older mobile phones as ringtone since it works on the same basis. You just need to know which key is which tone or instrument in polyphony of phone.

[@jjy135]

du fuq

[@LenyStorozka]

U Du Fuq :P

[@krushruss]

Thanks for the great, concise explanation Chuck!

[@najimmeimoun286]

Thanks for the info!

[@floofyblob7433]

Great explanation. Simple and straight to the point. Thanks!

[@mm-ud6cr]

Best MIDI explanation video. Thank you !!

[@russcoleman2338]

I’m sticking with my player piano

[@sjmcgue]

Thank you for clarifying these things for us😊

[@chitosantos7659]

So if use a psr model & connect it to a casio. Celviano will my casio sound exactly as the psr which i use as slave?

[@henrybrowne7248]

Hey Chuck, can I get your opinion on a couple things? Thanx.🙂

[@faalcu1953]

honestly I didn't know what a MIDI plugs in my keyboard were there for.... THANKS..

[@yvesyvesyves99]

Thank you very much! I finally have an idea about what midi is!

[@CrisGarcia6]

This is an amazing video. Great to hear. I have been trouble installing a midi. I have a cheap midi out to USB which it is a cable with 5 oins to USB. When i plugged into my computer and I pressed a key for example, if I play C, it plays a different note and if I keep hitting middle c, it plays another note and it holds even if I'm not pressing the keys. I do not know if it is the problem with the cable, usb 2.0, my laptop has no usb 2.0, but only 3.0, the problem with the piano keyboard or the operating system. I use a Roland XP-10. It is an old piano.

[@blazemama5361]

Thank you!

[@SM-ht7qf]

So if i have use it with a laptop that means i have to buy speakers since my laptop speakers are trash

[@Jinka1950]

Wow.... this helped me a lot!! Just bought a Casio and thought it was not ipad adaptable, but you saved the day!!

[@adespade119]

I am not actually an idiot, but I am stupid and this video was perfect for me, thanks for making it :)

[@FistieSplinters]

I wonder if this guy is a musician. Does anyone know?

[@lawofvisualization]

Thank you Sir! Very helpful for a beginner like myself. Much appreciated

[@bike-n-hikecascomaine5052]

I think you did a great intro to midi.

[@imzaazmi]

Thank you sir for this information ..simple and straightforward ❤️👍👍

[@davesax11]

Can you display the gear in the display?

[@Robin_0011]

bro im here 9 years later and know i understand this

Thank you, Chuck. No mysteries, now. Thomas

[@chessmith5043]

H i, pianoman! So glad I found your channel. I'm 76- been playing since I was about 9. Im now retired from carpentry and getting interested in leaving some of my musical interpretations for my grandkids. I especially enjoy a 3 piece jazz group (piano/bass/drums), so I've been looking at the editing software out there for my Yamaha S-90. What would you suggest I get knowing my intentions and the fact that I really don't need anything very complicated? Thanks for whatever advice you can provide. Ches, Columbia, SC

[@PianoManChuck]

I would suggest posting your question on a couple of the music forums out there - www.pianoworld.com and www.musicplayerforums.com - that's where you'll get the best advice for what you want to do.

[@TheDarkness2146]

Such a nice guy 👍🏻👍🏻 Very helpful video

[@lymerbean88]

Is there any advantage of having a pair of 5 pin MIDI connectors versus having a USB connector on the back?

[@PianoManChuck]

USB connections typically only connect your keyboard to a computer. 5-pin DIN connections can connect your keyboard to ANY other device that also has 5-pin DIN connections (another keyboard, a sound module, lighting controls, etc).

[@rolfhogfeldt7645]

Excellent video and information. Now I get it! 👍

[@Lishiitaki]

Been searching for awhile for this info. Thanks so much!! 💕

[@jimmlygoodness]

Great video! Straight to the point and extremely informative. Thank you!

[@lisasimpson1492]

Thanks much for this basic, concise overview. It was very helpful as I’m entering the digital piano era with a Kawai MP11se stage piano.

[@therealretronaut]

Thought it was agoti voice tutorial xd

[@organmarine3193]

Thanks for that enlightening video. I am just getting into MIDI with Lowrey Sensation organ, Steinberg UR22 and a few DAWS. You have helped me getting MIDI to the DAW. Thankyou, and we wish you a very Merry Christmas.

[@PianoManChuck]

Thank you... Merry Xmas back @ya !

[@lydiaonthelowrey]

Hi, I see you said something about a Lowrey organ, I have a Lowrey & I would like to know how use the MIDI with it.. Lydia

[@walkingwithin]

Fascinating! Cheers😊

[@truelokos]

Very detailed explanation about this MiDi device, it was full of info that I have search for a while, thanks&thanks for the upload.

[@annettebianco182]

Thank you for making this video...i am understanding the concept of MIDI now.

[@rb8058]

Succinct and to the point. Great info. Thanks!

[@brianmatthews4043]

Great video and introduction to the concept of MIDI.

[@zircontweezers4904]

after watching ,and i m no longer idiot ,thanks a lot !

[@jane1500]

thanks Chuck! Peace out indeed :)

[@electricgeorge5589]

Thanks Chuck you are the best

[@michaelfoster6]

EXCELLENT! Thank you again.

[@mohamededrees5832]

The best midi video on youtube Thanks allot good goob

[@Stan_Castan]

guess I'm an idiot then