# MIDI controller

> MIDI-capable hardware or software

**Wikidata**: [Q669610](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q669610)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI_controller)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/midi-controller

## Summary
A MIDI controller is a hardware or software device that interfaces with other MIDI-capable devices to send and receive musical performance data. It serves as a digital control source and interface for creating, manipulating, and recording music electronically.

## Key Facts
- Classified as a controller device that interfaces with peripheral devices
- Part of the digital control sources and interfaces subclass
- Has 11 sitelinks across various language Wikipedias
- Listed in Amazon's browse node 11973721 under Musical Instruments
- Classified under Google Product Taxonomy ID 6002 for MIDI Controllers
- Has a Hornbostel-Sachs classification of 542
- Available in 10 Wikipedia languages: German, English, Estonian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Russian, and Ukrainian
- Has a BabelNet ID of 00556491n
- Listed as a topic on Quora under "MIDI-Controllers"
- Has a Freebase ID of /m/04w6mh

## FAQs
### Q: What is a MIDI controller used for?
A: A MIDI controller is used to send and receive musical performance data to and from other MIDI-capable devices, allowing musicians to create, manipulate, and record electronic music without producing sound on its own.

### Q: How does a MIDI controller work?
A: A MIDI controller works by sending MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) messages to other devices, which interpret these messages to produce sound or control parameters, functioning as a digital control source and interface.

### Q: What types of devices are considered MIDI controllers?
A: MIDI controllers include hardware devices like keyboards, drum pads, and DJ controllers, as well as software applications that can send MIDI data to other devices.

## Why It Matters
MIDI controllers revolutionized electronic music production by providing a standardized way for musicians to interact with digital instruments and recording software. They solved the problem of translating physical musical gestures into digital data that computers and synthesizers could understand, enabling precise control over virtual instruments and effects. This technology democratized music production by making sophisticated sound manipulation accessible to anyone with a computer, fundamentally changing how music is created, recorded, and performed. The universal MIDI standard ensures compatibility across different manufacturers and devices, creating an ecosystem where musicians can mix and match equipment from various brands seamlessly.

## Notable For
- Serves as a universal interface standard across multiple music technology manufacturers
- Enables precise digital control of musical parameters without producing inherent sound
- Classified under the specialized Hornbostel-Sachs system for musical instruments
- Available in multiple language versions across Wikipedia's global platform
- Listed in major e-commerce taxonomies for easy consumer discovery

## Body
### Classification and Taxonomy
MIDI controllers are classified as digital control sources and interfaces, falling under the broader category of computing devices that interface with peripheral devices. This classification reflects their fundamental role in bridging human musical expression with digital technology.

### Technical Specifications
The devices operate using the Musical Instrument Digital Interface protocol, which transmits performance data including note on/off messages, velocity, pitch bend, modulation, and other control changes. This standardized communication protocol ensures compatibility across different manufacturers and devices.

### Related Technologies
MIDI controllers exist within a broader ecosystem of music technology, including related devices like DJ controllers, video game controllers, and specialized instruments such as the SynthAxe and Misa Kitara. These devices share the common functionality of translating physical input into digital control signals.

### Market Presence
The technology maintains significant commercial presence, being listed in major retail taxonomies and having dedicated categories on platforms like Amazon and Google Shopping. This commercial recognition reflects the widespread adoption of MIDI controllers in both professional and amateur music production contexts.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "MIDI controller",
  "description": "MIDI-capable hardware or software",
  "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI_controller",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q42968453",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI_controller"
  ],
  "additionalType": "controller"
}

## References

1. Revision of the Hornbostel-Sachs Classification of Musical Instruments by the MIMO Consortium
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. BabelNet