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MIDI and digital audio workstation: Making music on the computer

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tagsglossar, audio, musik

2 min read

MIDI and digital audio workstation: Making music on the computer

In short: MIDI transmits notes and control commands instead of sound; in a digital audio workstation (DAW) virtual instruments are played, audio recorded, mixed and processed into songs.

In more detail: Whoever produces music on the computer uses two kinds of data: audio (recorded sound, waveform) and MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface, since 1983): pure instructions such as “strike note C4, velocity 90, length 1 beat”.

In Depth

Understanding MIDI

A MIDI file contains no sound but events: note on/off, pitch, velocity, controllers (volume, vibrato, pedal), program change (instrument), tempo. Advantages: tiny files, changeable afterwards (move notes, change tempo, key), any instrument assignable. A MIDI keyboard sends notes to computer or synthesizer; MPE and MIDI 2.0 extend this (per-note expression).

The DAW

A digital audio workstation is the “studio software”: tracks for audio and MIDI, timeline, piano roll (drawing notes), mixer (volume, pan, effects), virtual instruments (VST/AU/CLAP), effects (EQ, compressor, reverb), automation, export as WAV/MP3. Examples: Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro (Mac), Reaper, Cubase, Bitwig, free GarageBand (Mac/iOS), LMMS, Ardour, Cakewalk, BandLab (browser).

A simple workflow

  1. Choose tempo and key, program a drum track (kick, snare, hi-hat) as a pattern.
  2. Write bass and chords as MIDI (chord progressions such as I–V–vi–IV).
  3. Play in or draw the melody, quantise (snap to grid).
  4. Record audio (vocals, guitar) with an audio interface and microphone.
  5. Mix: levels, EQ, compression, room effects, panning.
  6. Mastering: overall loudness, sound, export. Important is latency: with ASIO (Windows) or Core Audio (Mac) and a small buffer the instrument plays without noticeable delay.

Start with loops and templates, listen to reference songs, mix at moderate volume (protect your hearing). Samples and loops only with a suitable licence (royalty-free, CC0). Covers/remixes often need rights (GEMA, mechanical licence). Publication via distributors (DistroKid, TuneCore) and collecting societies: clarify rights. With browser studios (for example the studio on this website) first beats can be built without installation.

See also: Audio formats, Microphone, Copyright

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