MIDI and DAW Quiz

What does MIDI stand for?

• Music Internal Digital Instrument

• Musical Instrument Digital Interface

• Music Instrument Data Interface

• Modern Internet Digital Instrument

What problem was happening before MIDI was invented in the early 1980s?

• All synthesizers sounded exactly the same.

• Musical notes couldn’t be written down at all.

• Different music gear could not talk to each other (were incompatible)

• There was no way to record live instruments.

Who helped create the MIDI standard?

• Ikutaro Kakehashi and Dave Smith

• Beethoven and Mozart

• Steve Jobs and Bill Gates

• John Lennon and Paul McCartney

What does MIDI send, instead of actual sound?

• Raw audio like MP3s or WAVs

• Information/instructions about music (which note, when, how loud etc.)

• Sheet music pages physically

• Only the lyrics of a song

Which of these is not a “transport” for MIDI messages?

• USB

• Bluetooth

• Ethernet

• Microphone input

What is a Standard MIDI File (.mid)?

• A file that stores loudness levels only

• A file that stores actual recorded sound

• A file that stores MIDI data so you can edit or change instruments later

• A format only used for live concerts

What is one way music making changed after MIDI was introduced?

• Musicians had to always hire large orchestras early in the composing process.

• Composers could make mockups (draft versions) of music with MIDI to test ideas cheaply.

• MIDI made music only possible on big expensive gear.

• It stopped people from making electronic music.

What does MIDI 2.0 add compared to MIDI 1.0?

• Less accuracy in timing and volume

• More detailed control (better timing, more precise messages)

• Removes compatibility with older devices entirely

• Only works with analog instruments

Why are MIDI files usually smaller than audio files like MP4 or WAV?

• Because MIDI only stores instructions (what note, how long), not the actual sound wave.

• Because they delete parts of the song.

• Because they are always very short.

• Because they use fewer instruments.

Which of the following is a benefit of MIDI?

• You can’t change which instrument plays the part.

• You can’t edit timing or pitch after recording.

• You can change instruments, tweak pitch, adjust volume, and more after recording.

• You must perform everything live, can’t use virtual instruments.