MIDI - Musical Instrument Digital Interface - is the data communications system which enables music equipment, computers and software from many different manufacturers to exchange information. Since its introduction in 1983 the impact of MIDI on the design and operation of synthesizers has been dramatic, yet to date information about it has been scattered through unrelated articles or manufacturers' literature. This book aims to fill that gap, providing a practical guide for readers seeking a thorough discussion of the basic principles of MIDI. Rather than covering a limited number of particular brands of MIDI equipment, the text focuses on MIDI hardware and software as a system. It describes categories of MIDI instruments, accessories, and personal computer software, tells what to look for in each, and how to get it all to work together. It will help readers evaluate, assemble, and manage a complex hardware/software MIDI system.