©2003 Roland Corporation U.S. MC-909 Getting Started Guide Page 2
®ÂØÒňΠMC-909 Getting Started Guide
Big
Ideas
In this section, we’ll explain some terms and concepts you really need to understand to get the
most from your MC-909.
Audio vs.MIDI
One of the things that groovebox beginners often find confusing is the difference between audio
and MIDI. Let’s get this straight before we go on. They’re two completely different things, and you’ll
find them both in the MC-909.
Audio is sound.
When you hear something, you’re hearing audio. What comes out of
your mouth when you sing is audio. What comes out of a tambourine
is audio. What comes out of the jack labeled “OUTPUT” on the back of
a synthesizer or the MC-909, or out of a 1/4” jack on an electric bass, is
audio.
MIDI is a computer-to-computer music language.
MIDI—short for “Musical Instrument Digital Interface”—is a language that computers use to talk
to each other about music. Every MIDI device, whether it’s a synth, a drum machine or whatever, is
actually a computer designed to do something musical. MIDI is all about instructions sent from one
MIDI device to another that allows the first device to tell the second one how to do something.
MIDI
Device
1
MIDI
Device
2
Do this.
And this.
OK.
Gotcha.
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