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Developers & MIDI 2.0 Specifications
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Hi, I've been told pitch bend was once only from 0 to 127 (7 bits), when did it become 14 bits? I'm looking for detailed information about this.
And also, as long as we're at it, the standard in software is that it goes from -8912 to 8191, right?
thanks
Posted : 09/09/2016 9:15 pm
Pitch bend has always used 14 bits in MIDI 1.0.
MIDI is an interface specitication, so there can be only additions to the standard. Making any changes that are not backwards compatible would break all existing devices and software.
Posted : 09/09/2016 11:40 pm
I wouldn't be surprised if some early manufacturers only recognized the most significant byte of the command. Controlling pitch with 14-bit precision wasn't possible on certain sound chips. Remember the 8-bit music of 80s video games?
Posted : 11/09/2016 2:29 pm
Although pitch bend range normally is +/- 2 semitones, potentialy it may be full 128 semitones (you can try to set it: "Bn 64 00 65 00 06 7F 26 7F". I'm afraid it doesn't work, Roland says: two octaves is maximum). In that case one byte makes little sense, it would be note change, not bend. Obviously, the lower the sensitivity - the fewer bіts are truly significant.
Well, then appears other historical question: how old is 00 00 RPN. It is zeroth!
Posted : 21/12/2016 3:20 am
