Midi organization adopts final specification midi 2.0

The MIDI Manufacturers Association has finalized the MIDI 2.0 protocol specification. This is the first major update of the protocol for musical instruments in 38 years.

The MIDI Manufacturers Association has laid down the plans with the midi 2.0 protocol in five documents. The Japanese midi organization Association of Music Electronics Industry has to sign the various specifications laid down in the documents, after which the updated protocol is officially a fact and the documents become publicly available.

Midi stands for musical instrument digital interface and thanks to this protocol from 1982, musical instruments can exchange digital information in order to work together. Midi 2.0 is backward compatible with version 1.0, but offers many enhancements and improvements, and in some cases, midi 1.0 devices may have the new features.

For example, midi 2.0 is bidirectional, where 1.0 could only communicate a sender to a receiver. This allows MIDI 2.0 instruments to configure themselves to work together through MIDI capability inquiry messages and determine whether they are communicating with a MIDI 2.0 or 1.0 device. The resolution has also been increased from 7bit, or 14bit via an extension, to 32bit. For example, this significantly increases the number of ‘steps’ when turning knobs or sliding sliders, bringing closer the continuous effect of using analog knobs and sliders.

Midi devices can work with profiles at 2.0 so that the properties are dynamically adjusted depending on the type of device. Previously, users often had to manually map MIDI controllers. In addition, midi 2.0 devices can exchange properties such as settings. The MMA gives an example of a daw that can immediately show all the possibilities of a connected synthesizer.

Finally, the midi association states that the protocol has scope for further expansion for future applications. The organization announced the arrival of midi 2.0 and a preliminary specification a year ago.