MIDI
MIDI is a protocol used to transmit data about musical events.
1. Physical 🔗
A MIDI connector uses three pins: ground, +5V, and a data sink. It can be used over five-pin DIN, TRS, TS, or purely digitally. Although not standardised for a long while, manufacturers have used MIDI over TRS (most commonly 3.5mm) for a long time. There are three TRS variants.
| Pin function | DIN connector pin1 | TRS A (standard) | TRS B | TS / TRS C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data (current sink) | 5 | Tip | Ring | Tip |
| +5V (current source) | 4 | Ring | Tip | Sleeve |
| Ground | 2 | Sleeve | Sleeve | None |
2. Footnotes 🔗
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DIN connector does not use pin 1 or 3. Whack! ↩