Web and XML Glossary

MIDI enables people to use multimedia computers and electronic musical instruments. There are actually three components to MIDI, the communications "Protocol", the Hardware Interface and a distribution format called "Standard MIDI Files". In the context of the WWW, the most interesting component is the Audio Format. In principle, MIDI files contain sequences of MIDI Protocol messages. However, when MIDI Protocol messages are stored in MIDI files, the events are also time-stamped for playback in the proper sequence. Music delivered by MIDI files is the most common use of MIDI today.