New MIDI HD Protocol has Reached a Milestone

Here's an exciting article from Synthopia I have just read: New MIDI HD Protocol has Reached a Milestone.

Dave Smith, the man who proposed the MIDI standard

Dave Smith again

I'm a huge supporter of the MIDI format. It is really matured and reliable technology. Being still relevant after more than 30 years has proven it to be a really well designed protocol.

Without devices that connect to computers through MIDI via an affordable computer with an affordable soundcard, I would never have had the chance to started my journey into music.

While being a solid and reliable, our demand for more data, more channels and increased control over our devices has prompted the MIDI Manufacturer’s Association (MMA) to come up with an additional set of standards to guide the implementation of additional feature and information that allows MIDI compatible devices to share information with each other.

Taking information from the Synthtopia artiicle, new capabilities of the standard will feature:

- Backward compatibility with MIDI 1.0 to ensure wide-spread adoption

- Plug and Play network connectivity over USB and Ethernet for easy integration

- Thousands of Channels for handling large complex systems

- A massive number of high resolution Controllers and Parameters for channels, groups and even individual notes, for unrivalled precision and adaptability to new controller technologies

- Precise Pitch Control and Articulation messages for expanded expressivity

- Time Stamped messaging for accurate timing and tight real-time performance

- Plenty of room for future expansion to eliminate obsolescence

The MIDI Manufacturer’s Association (MMA) will host an open discussion at the 2015 NAMM Show about this "HD” version of the MIDI standard.

I look forward to hearing more details about this.