atari2600land's Blog

Huh? I had no idea that MIDI was obsoleted. How is music data transferred to synthesizers nowadays? I'll agree that as a system independent format for transferring sheet music, it is terrible and has been replaced with things like MusicXML for software that supports it.

It's what I read somewhere. I guess it's untrue.

I suppose it depends whom you ask. I found discussions dating as far back as 2005 regarding MIDI was obsolete, so perhaps it has been out of style for more than a decade. On the other hand e.g. Microsoft published (republished?) articles on how to generate MIDI files as late as May 2018.

 

Probably one needs to separate the data transfer protocol from device to device (usually through MIDI cables) from the file format of recording events to be played back, that the transfer protocol might still be updated but that the events are generated on the fly based on some other music container format that has more information.

 

The MIDI Manufacturers Association (conveniently abbreviated MMA) lists specifications for Standard MIDI (SMF), General MIDI (GM) and Extensible Music Format (XMF). Possibly it is the good old GM format that is being phased out for newer formats that hold more information.

I guess MIDI as a format for sharing music is obsolete. Back in the earlier days of the World Wide Web, when it was all pastures around here and dinosaurs roam the network, it was customary to download your music in MIDI format to play on your SoundBlaster card (or Yamaha, if you had the bucks).

 

The alternative as WAV files, but those were too big, so it was mostly used for short samples from movies and TV shows (like memes are done in pictures today).

 

Eventually, MODs, WAVs, and MIDIs were replaced by MP3s, and the rest is history.

 

However, as a device interchange format, MIDI is still popular with modern synths and software.

 

-dZ.