MIDItiedosto

A MIDItiedosto, often shortened to MIDI file, is a digital representation of musical information. Unlike audio files such as MP3 or WAV which store actual sound waves, a MIDI file contains instructions about how to play music. These instructions include details like which notes to play, their duration, velocity (how hard they are played), and the instrument that should produce the sound.

MIDI files are not audio recordings but rather symbolic representations. This means that a single MIDI file can be played back using many different sound sources, each producing a unique sound. For example, the same MIDI file could be played on a piano, a guitar, or a full orchestra, depending on the synthesizer or software used. The actual sound is generated in real-time by the playback device.

The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) protocol, which these files utilize, was developed in the early 1980s. It allows musical instruments, computers, and other electronic devices to communicate with each other. MIDI files are commonly used in music production, sequencing, and live performance. They are relatively small in size compared to audio files because they only store data about the music, not the sound itself. This makes them efficient for storage and transmission.