KVR Audio

Roger, Geert, do you have any say or suggestions to the MIDI Association for the proposed MIDI 2.0 implementation? How will it affect the Linnstrument?

Statement below was released at 2019 NAMM

“The MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) and AMEI (the Japanese MIDI association) have finalized the core features and name for the next generation MIDI protocol: MIDI 2.0. Member companies are currently working together to develop prototypes based on a jointly developed, feature-complete, draft specification. A members-only plugfest to test compatibility between some early MIDI 2.0 prototypes is planned for Winter NAMM 2019. Participating companies include Ableton/Cycling '74, Art+Logic, Bome Software, Google, imitone, Native Instruments, Roland, ROLI, Steinberg, TouchKeys, and Yamaha.

The MIDI 2.0 initiative updates MIDI with auto-configuration, new DAW/web integrations, extended resolution, increased expressiveness, and tighter timing — all while maintaining a high priority on backward compatibility. This major update of MIDI paves the way for a new generation of advanced interconnected MIDI devices, while still preserving interoperability with the millions of existing MIDI 1.0 devices. One of the core goals of the MIDI 2.0 initiative is to also enhance the MIDI 1.0 feature set whenever possible.

Hi Glendene,
I don't use Sysex and therefore am not an MMA member, so I'm not permitted access to the MIDI 2.0 spec and haven't seen it, nor was I invited to the plugfest at NAMM. I'm not sure what benefit exists in keeping it secret, which seems to me contrary to the idea of an open specification. Regardless, I'm not aware of anything it would add to LinnStrument's operation, and I'm sure the MMA will let people know about it at some point.

The rather old school approach to information (basically forcing interested parties to join for the privilege of reading the full spec at early stages) in an association context does seem increasingly out of step with the modern world.

I'd love to see things adopted quickly but I dont predict it in this case, with plenty of heel dragging and chicken and egg 'why bother?' to come. A bit like what we have seen with MPE, but multiplied. eg so far MPE has been adopted by companies and individuals that see the benefit and have staff who are up for it. MPE does not seem to have reached the stage where a significant percentage of users and potential users demand it, or where many competitors have used it and it stands out as a competitive advantage that others cannot afford to ignore. I hope this changes but the going is slow so I have had to learn to moderate my expectations, and will do the same with MIDI 2.0

One of the problems in the adoption of MPE is that current music contains few ideal examples of expressive electronic performance. In other words, people are making the music that on/off switches prefer to make. But that will gradually change. Revolutions don't happen overnight. Thanks to all on this forum for being the early revolutionaries.