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MIDI Channels 101
- There are 16 MIDI channels, numbered 1-16 ( the official way ), but sometimes 0-15 depending on what you’re reading.
- A MIDI controller sends MIDI messages on one ( or more ) channels. A MIDI message is received by any connected MIDI instrument which is ‘listening’ on the corresponding MIDI channel.
- It’s possible to listen on all channels at once, and most ‘sound modules’ do this.
- MIDI messages never overlap, they are sent strictly one after another, even if they are on different channels.
- A MIDI device can both send ( act as a MIDI controller ) and listen ( act as a MIDI instrument ) at the same time, but this is rarely done because it gets hard to wrap your head around what’s going on.
- MIDI doesn’t interfere with any sound generation that might be done in the MIDI controller itself – but then it’s a question for the performer or the sound desk about what they actually want to hear.