MidiStrata

Designed by a keyboard player primarily for the gigging keyboard musician, MidiStrata is an application that runs on Windows or macOS personal computers. Devices that send or receive MIDI messages are unified into a single logical network of objects called EndPoints. A Layer is an EndPoint that is usually a patch, on a channel, in a multitimbral synthesizer. A collection of layers is called a Strata. Layers are enabled or disabled in a variety of ways. It could be as simple as touching a button, a footswitch, or through a rich set of logical conditions. Layers may be disabled while notes are already sounding without those notes being truncated. A key concept is when and how a layer is heard (Enabled) or silenced (Disabled). MidiStrata processing results in seamless transitioning between synthesizer voices regardless of what device in the Midi network they are sounding on.

In a sense, MidiStrata could be considered a Midi Router, although that parlance is evolving among musicians. Midi messages are dynamically routed from the master keyboard and User Interfaces throughout the midi network to an EndPoint. The routing can change at any time as triggered by real-time performance controls, and happens at millisecond rates. All Note Off, Sustain Pedal, and optionally other messages such as Pitch Wheel, Modulation reset are sent to the original Endpoints regardless of what routes are currently active. The result is a seamless audible experience. The Midi Network consists of a collection of EndPoints that is any patch, on any channel, on any midi interface. A Layer is the logical representation of an EndPoint. Each Layer in a Strata has a collection of 70+ parameters such as EndPoint Destination, Key Range, Velocity, Scaling, controller assignments, etc. MidiStrata has a comprehensive message translation capability to convert any message to any other message, from any Endpoint to any other Endpoint, or internally to control MidiStrata. Musicians can simultaneously use Touchscreens, iPads, or generic midi controllers to configure and control MidiStrata. Layer parameters are sectioned into functional groups, with the most significant parameters easily configured (taught) during live performances. The best use case for MidiStrata is to default the synth to the basics: • Each multitimbral synth in the network is on its own interface port • Default to the basic configuration of Omni-Off Poly, all 16 channels active • Enable reception of Program Change, BankMSB, and BankLSB • Any layering and velocity or other note related processing parameters are disabled • Enable the reception for any controllers you want to use Then, MidiStrata takes care of the entire management of the synth network through Strata configurations. 128 Layers are supported in a Strata instance. Multiple instances can run simultaneously. MIdiStrata is a tool for Midi power users. However, there are configuration Wizards that will automatically set up MidiStrata for the essential operation that most non-technical musicians need. The design has been inspired by the functionality (or lack thereof) of numerous popular midi port switchers, message translators, and processors, including groundbreaking devices like the OpCode Studio5 ecosystem and Yamaha MEP-4 interfaces.

When performing original material and audience members come up after the night and say: “Your keyboards blew me away – how did you play all of that?” When playing in a cover band, audience members come up after the set and asks: “You are the only keyboard player. How did you play all those parts – it sounded just like the album!”