MIDI is both a hardware specification and a software specification. (although you might find paraphrased or summarized versions on the Web). See the Complete MIDI 1.0 Detailed Specification, which is available only in hard copy from Before writing substantial MIDI applications, programmers who are unfamiliar with MIDI will probably need a fuller description of MIDI than can be included in this tutorial. If you have a thorough understanding of MIDI, you can safely skip this section. The discussion is intended as a refresher for readers acquainted with MIDI, and as a brief introduction for those who are not, to provide background for the subsequent discussion of the Java Sound API's MIDI package. This section reviews some MIDI basics, without reference to the Java Sound API. MIDI data can be transmitted over special cables during a live performance, and can also be stored in a standard type of file for later playback or editing. The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) standard defines a communication protocol for electronic music devices, such as electronic keyboard instruments and personal computers. The following discussion of the MIDI API is divided into two main areas: data and devices. It then goes on to discuss the Java Sound API's approach to MIDI, as a preparation for the programming tasks that are explained in subsequent sections. Some basic features of MIDI itself are explained, as a refresher or introduction, to place the Java Sound API's MIDI features in context. The discussion that follows provides a more detailed introduction to the Java Sound API's MIDI architecture, which is accessed through the package. Introduction gave a glimpse into the MIDI capabilities of the Java Sound API.

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