MIDI & Virtual Instruments

Complete guide to MIDI workflow, 128 GM instruments, Piano Roll, Score notation, and Synthesizer

MIDI Basics

Understanding MIDI

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for recording and playing musical notes and performance data:

  • Not Audio: MIDI is instructions, not sound waves
  • Note Data: Which notes to play, when, and how loud
  • Small Files: Much smaller than audio recordings
  • Editable: Change notes, timing, instrument after recording
  • Flexible: Same MIDI can play different instruments
  • Precise: Perfect timing and pitch control
🎹

MIDI notes in Piano Roll editor

Creating new MIDI track

MIDI Tracks

Creating MIDI Tracks

MIDI tracks hold note data and route to virtual instruments:

  • Create Track: Track menu → New MIDI Track (⌘⇧M)
  • Choose Instrument: Select from 128 GM instruments in Library
  • Record MIDI: Use Virtual Keyboard or external MIDI controller
  • Edit Notes: Open Piano Roll (⌘⌥P) for precise editing
  • Bounce to Audio: Right-click region → "Bounce to Audio"
  • Multiple Tracks: Layer different instruments

🎻 128 General MIDI Instruments

Stori includes the complete General MIDI instrument set with professional SoundFont samples across 16 categories:

🎹 Piano (1-8)

  • Acoustic Grand Piano
  • Bright Acoustic Piano
  • Electric Grand Piano
  • Honky-tonk Piano
  • Electric Piano 1 & 2
  • Harpsichord
  • Clavinet

🔔 Chromatic Percussion (9-16)

  • Celesta
  • Glockenspiel
  • Music Box
  • Vibraphone
  • Marimba
  • Xylophone
  • Tubular Bells
  • Dulcimer

🎺 Organ (17-24)

  • Drawbar Organ
  • Percussive Organ
  • Rock Organ
  • Church Organ
  • Reed Organ
  • Accordion
  • Harmonica
  • Tango Accordion

🎸 Guitar (25-32)

  • Acoustic Guitar (nylon)
  • Acoustic Guitar (steel)
  • Electric Guitar (jazz)
  • Electric Guitar (clean)
  • Electric Guitar (muted)
  • Overdriven Guitar
  • Distortion Guitar
  • Guitar Harmonics

🎸 Bass (33-40)

  • Acoustic Bass
  • Electric Bass (finger)
  • Electric Bass (pick)
  • Fretless Bass
  • Slap Bass 1 & 2
  • Synth Bass 1 & 2

🎻 Strings (41-48)

  • Violin
  • Viola
  • Cello
  • Contrabass
  • Tremolo Strings
  • Pizzicato Strings
  • Orchestral Harp
  • Timpani

🎼 Ensemble (49-56)

  • String Ensemble 1 & 2
  • Synth Strings 1 & 2
  • Choir Aahs
  • Voice Oohs
  • Synth Voice
  • Orchestra Hit

🎺 Brass (57-64)

  • Trumpet
  • Trombone
  • Tuba
  • Muted Trumpet
  • French Horn
  • Brass Section
  • Synth Brass 1 & 2

🎷 Reed (65-72)

  • Soprano Sax
  • Alto Sax
  • Tenor Sax
  • Baritone Sax
  • Oboe
  • English Horn
  • Bassoon
  • Clarinet

📯 Pipe (73-80)

  • Piccolo
  • Flute
  • Recorder
  • Pan Flute
  • Blown Bottle
  • Shakuhachi
  • Whistle
  • Ocarina

🎹 Synth Lead (81-88)

  • Lead 1 (square)
  • Lead 2 (sawtooth)
  • Lead 3 (calliope)
  • Lead 4 (chiff)
  • Lead 5 (charang)
  • Lead 6 (voice)
  • Lead 7 (fifths)
  • Lead 8 (bass + lead)

🌊 Synth Pad (89-96)

  • Pad 1 (new age)
  • Pad 2 (warm)
  • Pad 3 (polysynth)
  • Pad 4 (choir)
  • Pad 5 (bowed)
  • Pad 6 (metallic)
  • Pad 7 (halo)
  • Pad 8 (sweep)

✨ Synth Effects (97-104)

  • FX 1 (rain)
  • FX 2 (soundtrack)
  • FX 3 (crystal)
  • FX 4 (atmosphere)
  • FX 5 (brightness)
  • FX 6 (goblins)
  • FX 7 (echoes)
  • FX 8 (sci-fi)

🌍 Ethnic (105-112)

  • Sitar
  • Banjo
  • Shamisen
  • Koto
  • Kalimba
  • Bagpipe
  • Fiddle
  • Shanai

🔔 Percussive (113-120)

  • Tinkle Bell
  • Agogo
  • Steel Drums
  • Woodblock
  • Taiko Drum
  • Melodic Tom
  • Synth Drum
  • Reverse Cymbal

🎵 Sound Effects (121-128)

  • Guitar Fret Noise
  • Breath Noise
  • Seashore
  • Bird Tweet
  • Telephone Ring
  • Helicopter
  • Applause
  • Gunshot
SoundFont Workflow

Using GM Instruments

Complete workflow for playing General MIDI instruments:

  • Create MIDI Track: Track menu → New MIDI Track (⌘⇧M)
  • Open Library: Library Panel → Instruments tab
  • Browse Categories: Click category to expand (Piano, Strings, etc.)
  • Select Instrument: Click instrument to assign to track
  • Play with Virtual Keyboard: Open Virtual Keyboard (⌘⇧K)
  • Record MIDI: Arm track, press record, play notes
  • Switch Instruments: Change instrument without creating new track
  • Professional Samples: High-quality SoundFont playback
📚

Library panel with 128 GM instruments organized by category

🎼 Piano Roll & Score Editor

Professional MIDI note editing with dual view modes - Piano Roll grid or traditional Score notation:

🎹

Piano Roll View

Traditional grid-based note editing with piano keyboard on left. Best for precise timing and modern music production.

  • Piano keyboard reference
  • Grid-based note placement
  • Velocity lane at bottom
  • Scale highlighting (14 scales)
  • Snap to grid (11 resolutions)
  • Real-time note preview
  • Select, Draw, Erase, Slice modes
  • Multi-note editing
🎼

Score View

Traditional musical staff notation with proper clefs, note heads, stems, and beams. Best for reading and printing sheet music.

  • Treble and bass clefs
  • Proper note heads (whole, half, quarter)
  • Stems and beams
  • Accidentals (sharps/flats)
  • Time signatures
  • Key signatures
  • Professional engraving
  • Print-ready output
📝

Piano Roll with notes, velocity lane, and edit tools

Piano Roll

Note Editing Tools

Comprehensive note editing capabilities:

  • Select Mode: Click notes to select, drag to move
  • Draw Mode: Click to add notes at cursor
  • Erase Mode: Click notes to delete
  • Slice Mode: Cut notes into smaller durations
  • Velocity Mode: Adjust note loudness in velocity lane
  • Snap to Grid: 11 resolutions from whole notes to 1/64
  • Scale Highlighting: Show only notes in selected scale
  • Real-Time Preview: Hear notes as you edit
16-Voice Synthesizer

Built-In Polyphonic Synth

Professional synthesizer with real-time parameter control:

  • Open Synth: MIDI menu → Synthesizer (⌘⌥I)
  • 16 Voices: Play up to 16 notes simultaneously
  • ADSR Envelope: Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release controls
  • 5 Factory Presets: Init, Bright Lead, Warm Pad, Deep Bass, Plucky Synth
  • Slider Interface: Easy-to-use slider controls
  • Mini Keyboard: 3-octave keyboard for testing sounds
  • Per-Track Instances: Each MIDI track can have its own synth
  • Real-Time: Adjust parameters while playing
🎛️

16-voice polyphonic synthesizer with ADSR and presets

🎮

Virtual Keyboard for playing instruments with computer keyboard

Virtual Keyboard

Play with Computer Keyboard

Turn your QWERTY keyboard into a musical instrument:

  • Open Keyboard: MIDI menu → Virtual Keyboard (⌘⇧K)
  • Play Notes: ASDFGHJKL keys = white keys, WETYUOP = black keys
  • Octave Control: Z = down octave, X = up octave
  • Velocity Control: C = softer, V = louder
  • Sustain Pedal: Space bar holds notes
  • Auto-Routing: Notes go to selected track's instrument
  • MIDI Recording: Arm track to record played notes
  • Real-Time: Zero-latency playback