devices - piano, drums, PC synths
Midi devices can...
send out midi when keys are hit and knobs are tweaked -
a midi controller
receive midi and send sound out your speakers (or generate a .WAV file) -
a sound module. A PC is great at this.
or do both like a digital piano
midi controller
notes and control messages are sent on a channel.Every device has 16 channels max. Except a PC which hooks to lots of devices (with those 16 channels). Channel 10 is dedicated to drums. Most controllers send notes out on only one channel.
Most controllers can do a "split" by using their (terrible) menus. This sends lower notes out one channel and higher notes out another.
But, typically a keyboard sends notes out on one channel.
midi sound module
receives midi events and creates audio. A PC is such a thing. Usually listening on all 16 available channels. PCs can listen to multiple devices though.Some lame older sound modules don't do all 16. Again, channel 10 is usually a drum channel. The other channels are used for melodic sounds.
All sound modules have a list of available sounds to pick from. Sometimes you can load in new sounds. Sometimes not. All let you tweak the sounds with "control change" messages.
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