MIDI doesn’t contain audio data; it’s a set of commands that a synthesizer, sampler, or software interprets to generate sound. This makes MIDI files tiny compared to audio files—think kilobytes versus megabytes.
A MIDI message is typically 1-3 bytes long:
*Status Byte: Defines the message type (e.g., Note On) and channel (1-16).
*Data Bytes: Provide specifics (e.g., note number, velocity).
The 16-channel system lets one controller command multiple devices or voices independently. For example, Channel 1 could trigger a drum kit while Channel 2 plays a bassline.
== Hardware Protocol ==