Midi files are part and parcel of the computer terminology that deals with audio. Midi, as it is commonly referred to, stands for “musical instrument digital interface.” Interestingly, midi is not simply a form of audio file but instead the very interface itself that permits a musical instrument and a computer to communicate with one another in such a manner as to create a .wav or MP3 file. For a while free midi files were available and they varied widely from one manufacturer to the next, but in the early 1980s there was a move to standardize the midi and the result is the kind of interface we enjoy today.

Without midi control protocols, it would be impossible to have the kind of digital data that is transmitted by a musical instrument to be uniformly translated into a file which could be shared, stored, manipulated and saved. As such it would make the use of midi songs – usually available through samplers, synthesizers and drum machines – unavailable. Fortunately, the protocol was agreed upon by the industry and a whole new world of technology supporting the midi format sprang up.

Once again, it is important to understand that midi itself is not a file itself but simply a means to an end – in this case a sound file. Nowadays there are many free midi applications available. Did you know that it is midi software that enables your cell phone to play the Toccata D Minor by Bach as a ring tone? Many such free midi songs are now available for download via the Internet and this free midi music is often one of the major selling points cell phone manufactures now use to get customers to purchase their phones and plans versus those available by the competition.

While not available for free, midis also play an important role when it comes to the ever popular video games. These midi files define the sounds available for a successful throw, a missed shot, or simply the revving of an engine prior to a car race. When it comes to sound effects, midi is truly the industry standard. No other sound option is so compact and easy to apply, thus making the integration of a variety of instruments and user interfaces appear seamless, and in turn guaranteeing that gadgets could decrease in size rather than increase. It is interesting to note that control of this protocol may be achieved with hardware and software options!