> Not per note pitch bend. Note On/Off messages support an extra 16 bits of "attribute" data that can optionally be used as an unsigned 7.9 fixed point pitch offset in semitones.
> Note numbers are also expanded to 256 since they can use the full 8 bits of the note number.
You might be right on the attribute data, but I thought they had per-note pitch bend as well. I'm skeptical that 8th note number bit is available, but I'm going off of memory since the MIDI association has decided for whatever reason to require a login just to see the specs as if the MIDI specs are some kind of secret, and that section of their website is throwing SQL errors right now.
> MPE is a super limited hack, I doubt anyone is going to use it once MIDI 2 becomes available in synths
Maybe MIDI 2.0 will be adopted, but so far it seems to be getting very little traction, at least in the hardware synth/controller space. I'm less familiar with software synths; maybe it's getting picked up there.
MPE is kind of a gross hack, but it works pretty well and is supported by most of the expressive controllers out there and at least some synths. The only expressive controller I'm aware of that uses MIDI 2.0 is Lumatone. I think Roland also makes a regular keyboard controller with MIDI 2.0 support. Other than that the major music incumbents seem to be staying away, and the smaller expressive instrument manufacturers seem to mostly be sticking to MPE.
I'd be in favor of just ditching MIDI entirely, and use a different protocol that's more like what MPE would be if it didn't have to be mostly backwards-compatible with MIDI 1.0. I'd also be in favor of using CAN-bus instead of 31.25 kbps serial for anything that's not using USB.
Ah you're right, I missed in the message layout that the MSBit is reserved for note number. That's kind of pointless.
And it is a bit absurd that they're so intent on doing things behind closed doors. But the spec is very comprehensive and decently polished.
It's not really "out" yet in either hardware or software. The last update made some notable changes. Allegedly Korg is releasing a line of MIDI 2 controllers soon. I think NAMM in January is going to have a lot of MIDI 2.0 demos.
In the software world, some people (Steinberg) don't even want to support MIDI in synths at all. VST3 barely supports MIDI 1, and it will not support MIDI 2.0.
> Note numbers are also expanded to 256 since they can use the full 8 bits of the note number.
You might be right on the attribute data, but I thought they had per-note pitch bend as well. I'm skeptical that 8th note number bit is available, but I'm going off of memory since the MIDI association has decided for whatever reason to require a login just to see the specs as if the MIDI specs are some kind of secret, and that section of their website is throwing SQL errors right now.
> MPE is a super limited hack, I doubt anyone is going to use it once MIDI 2 becomes available in synths
Maybe MIDI 2.0 will be adopted, but so far it seems to be getting very little traction, at least in the hardware synth/controller space. I'm less familiar with software synths; maybe it's getting picked up there.
MPE is kind of a gross hack, but it works pretty well and is supported by most of the expressive controllers out there and at least some synths. The only expressive controller I'm aware of that uses MIDI 2.0 is Lumatone. I think Roland also makes a regular keyboard controller with MIDI 2.0 support. Other than that the major music incumbents seem to be staying away, and the smaller expressive instrument manufacturers seem to mostly be sticking to MPE.
I'd be in favor of just ditching MIDI entirely, and use a different protocol that's more like what MPE would be if it didn't have to be mostly backwards-compatible with MIDI 1.0. I'd also be in favor of using CAN-bus instead of 31.25 kbps serial for anything that's not using USB.