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ODROID C1 USER MANUAL
Music and MIDI
Not long after the first personal computers became available, cre-
ative individuals began to find inventive ways to use them for music
composition and performance. Before long, the need for I/O standard-
ization became clear, and in 1983 the MIDI specification was developed.
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) gained rapid industry ac-
ceptance, and within a few years, a MIDI Interface was found on vir-
tually every sound card and on most PCs with sound chips on the
motherboard. This is no longer the case, but the MIDI interface, MIDI
instruments, and external MIDI synthesizers are still widely used by
musicians and sound engineers. In fact, MIDI is still the de-facto stan-
dard instrument interface, and does not show any signs of falling into
obscurity as have many early computing standards.
What is MIDI?
MIDI encompasses not only the MIDI connector hardware spec-
ification, but also includes the communication protocol used for instru-
ments and synthesizers, and a MIDI file format specification for MIDI
recording and playback. The standard MPU-401 physical MIDI inter-
face is a 5-pin DIN connector. Internal sound cards no longer include
this connector, but it can be found on some high-end external USB
sound modules. However USB-to-MIDI adapters are inexpensive
and widely available. The MIDI Manufacturers Associated website at
is a good source for additional information.
Linux Support for Music and MIDI
MIDI adapters, USB Sound Devices, and Music Applications
have wide support on Linux. For example, the Ubuntu Studio project
is an excellent open-source Linux build that has extensive device sup-
port with pre-configured applications. The official Ubuntu Studio site
page has an http://bit.ly/1FFKyvh which will give you an idea of the
range of Music and MIDI applications possible on Linux.
Ubuntu Studio includes some of the most popular audio apps
available - including tools for DAW (Digital Audio Workstations) for
multi-track mixing, sequencers for MIDI music, drum machines, soft-
ware synthesizers, and even music creation via programming. Ubun-
tu Studio is available from the Ubuntu Software Center and Synaptic
Package Manager.
How do I add a MIDI Interface to the C1 ?
Three basic options for MIDI are available for the C1:
USB sound module:
If you wish to use a USB sound module, look
for a device that has solid Linux and/or Android device driver support
Chapter 3
