MIDItiedoston

A MIDItiedosto, often shortened to MIDI file, is a digital representation of musical information. Unlike audio files like MP3s or WAVs which store actual sound waves, MIDI files do not contain audio. Instead, they record instructions for playing music, such as which notes to play, their duration, velocity (how hard they are played), and instrument assignments. This makes MIDI files incredibly flexible, allowing the same file to be played with different sounds or even re-arranged.

The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is a protocol that allows electronic musical instruments, computers, and other related devices to communicate with each other. A MIDItiedosto is the standard file format for storing this communication data. When a MIDI file is played, a synthesizer or sound module interprets these instructions and generates the corresponding sounds. This means that the quality of the sound produced by a MIDI file depends entirely on the playback device's capabilities.

MIDItiedostot are widely used in music production, composition, and performance. They are small in size compared to audio files, making them easy to transfer and store. Musicians can use MIDI files to sequence melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, and then assign different virtual instruments to each track. This allows for easy editing and experimentation with different musical ideas. They are also commonly found in video games, where they provide background music that can be dynamically altered based on gameplay.