MIDI Monitor Guide

v0.1 20/3/2023

Description

The keyboard window displays a 6 octave keyboard where notes can be entered via the mouse. A mouse left click is a normal key down / key up operation. A mouse right click is key down only, for entering chords. The notes are sent to the MIDI output port which can be selected in the Config window. The key channel and velocity can also be set. When messages are received from the MIDI input port, the notes will be displayed if the option is enabled. A different highlight colour is used for each of the 16 channels. The keyboard menu also allows selection between percussion and melodic channel display from the Player.
The channel highlight colours are shown below.

The computer keyboard can also be used for entering notes. For this to work, the Keyboard window must have the focus. When the window is first opened it has the focus, if you need to regain the focus for any reason, move the keyboard window slightly. The following diagram shows which keys of the computer keyboard are used for note entry. Holding the SHIFT key down shifts the note up by 2 octaves. Notes are displayed in the keyboard window. More than one key can be pressed at the same time but the number depends on which keys are pressed, the keyboard design, and the operating system.

Midi notes have a number range between 0 and 127, and middle C is 60. In this guide middle C is called C5 and A6 is tuned to 440Hz. This gives,
lowest possible note, C0 = 8.176 Hz
highest possible note, G10 = 12.543 kHz

Some manufacturers call the lowest note C-2 which makes middle C C3, there is no real standard.