libmidi

This is a work in progress.

---

A simple library for reading .mid files (General Midi) and handling MIDI data from masters. Custom instruments can be implemented as a software synthesizer. Can make handlers for custom MIDI sequencer messages.

The overarching idea is to make a library which allows a user to easily create software synthesizers which can source MIDI events from both trackers/sequencers as well as MIDI files; both for composing music and when creating new synths and instruments.

Dependencies

• libSDL (for the player example, main.cpp)
• libsndfile

What is already done?

• Reading the chunk info
• Reading the MIDI header
• Parsing all of all the events below (but not applying their effects)
• Applying NoteOff/NoteOn events
• Extracting the meta data such as song name and patch numbers
• A simple player example which can play .mid files with format 0 (format 1 and 2 support is coming)

What is the roadmap?

• Fully implement all the known MIDI events:

  • Channel Messages:
    • Polyphonic Key Pressure Event (Aftertouch).
    • Control Change Event
    • Program Change Event
    • Channel Pressure (After-touch) Event
    • Pitch Wheel Change Event
  • Meta Messages (For General Midi only):
    • Sequence Number Event
    • Text Event
    • Copyright Notice Event
    • Sequence/Track Name Event
    • Instrument Name Event
    • Lyric Event
    • Marker Event
    • Cue Point Event
    • MIDI Channel Prefix Event
    • End of Track Event
    • Set Tempo Event
    • SMTPE Offset Event
    • Time Signature Event
    • Key Signature Event
    • Sequencer-Specific Meta-Event
  • System Common Messages:
    • System Exclusive Event
    • Song Position Pointer Event
    • Song Select Event
    • Tune RequestEvent
    • End of Exclusive Event
  • System Real-Time Messages:
    • Timing Clock Event
    • Start Event
    • Continue Event
    • Stop Event
    • Active Sensing Event
    • Reset Event

• Recognize instruments from general MIDI

• Convert timestamps into a consistent format no matter which convention the file uses. Should be either ticks or milliseconds.

• Support real time MIDI streams in addition to .mid files and general MIDI.

• Make the API easy to use with software synthesizers

• Allow function callbacks into unassigned MIDI events so they can be used for custom code