MIDI Machine Control

MIDI Universal Real Time SysEx Message Format

MIDI includes System Exclusive messages that are extensions of the MIDI format implemented by MIDI manufacturers. Some of the extensions, the "Universal" ones, are a set of the same functions that different manufacturers can implement differently in detail. Some of them are Non Real Time, with no reliable delivery timing. Others are Real Time, including MMC, so they are more reliably delivered when expected. SysEx messages start with (hexadecimal) F0 and end with F7. Universal Real Time SysEx messages start with F0, followed by 7F, then include other fields before the terminating F7.

The following shows Universal Real Time SysEx message format (all numbers hexadecimal):

F0 7F <Device-ID> <Sub-ID#1> [<Sub-ID#2> [<parameters>]] F7

where Device-ID is:

MMC device's ID#; value 00-7F (7F = all devices); AKA "channel number"

and Sub-ID#1: is one of the following values. The bolded values are MIDI Machine Control related:

MMC Message Format

An MMC message is either an MMC command (Sub-ID#1=06) or an MMC response (Sub-ID#1=07). As a SysEx message it is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):

F0 7F <Device-ID> <06|07> [<Sub-ID#2> [<parameters>]] F7Device-ID: MMC device's ID#; value 00-7F (7F = all devices); AKA "channel number"Sub-ID#1: 06 = command Sub-ID#2: 01 Stop 02 Play 03 Deferred Play (play after no longer busy) 04 Fast Forward 05 Rewind 06 Record Strobe (AKA [[Punch in/out|Punch In]]) 07 Record Exit (AKA [[Punch out (music)|Punch out]]) 08 Record Pause 09 Pause (pause playback) 0A Eject (disengage media container from MMC device) 0B Chase 0D MMC Reset (to default/startup state) 40 Write (AKA Record Ready, AKA Arm Tracks) parameters: <length1> 4F <length2> <track-bitmap-bytes> 44 Goto (AKA Locate) parameters: <length>=06 01 <hours> <minutes> <seconds> <frames> <subframes> 47 Shuttle parameters: <length>=03 <sh> <sm> <sl> (MIDI Standard Speed codes)Sub-ID#1: 07 = response Sub-ID#2: response state parameters: values detailing response state

MMC Commands

MMC Commands are either MMC transport messages containing one byte representing the command, or other types containing the command byte followed by parameter bytes. Some parameters are lengths of collections of bytes in the message, some parameters are constants associated with the command, other parameters are variable data values specifying command execution.

Record Ready

The Record Ready (Arm Tracks) message will record-enable tracks. It is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):

F0 7F <Device-ID> 06 40 <length1> 4F <length2> <track-bitmap> F7length1: number of bytes between length1 and F7length2: number of bytes in the track bitmaptrack-bitmap: Each track is assigned a bit in the track bitmap.

To set a track, you must know both the byte in which the track's bit lives, and also the bit corresponding to that track. Note that each byte can only hold 7 tracks.

Track 1: byte 1 + 0x20Track 2: byte 1 + 0x40Track 3: byte 2 + 0x01Track 4: byte 2 + 0x02Track 5: byte 2 + 0x04Track 6: byte 2 + 0x08Track 7: byte 2 + 0x10Track 8: byte 2 + 0x20Track 9: byte 2 + 0x40Track 10: byte 3 + 0x01and so on.

Goto/Locate

The Goto (AKA Locate) message cues recording or playback to an SMPTE time (a specific hour, minute, second, SMPTE frame number, and subframe code). It is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):

F0 7F <Device-ID> 06 44 <length>=06 01 <hr> <mn> <sc> <fr> <ff> F7Sub-ID#2 =44: LOCATE commandlength: 06 Data byte count (always six bytes)subcommand: 01 TARGEThr: hours; values 0-17 (= 0-23 decimal)mn: minutes; values 0-3B (= 0-59 decimal)sc: seconds; values 0-3B (= 0-59 decimal)fr: frames; values 0-1D (= 0-29 decimal)ff: sub-frames / fractional frames (leave at zero if un-sure); values 0-63 (= 0-99 decimal)

(some manufacturers encode the subframe value differently at different frame rates to indicate subframe 0)

Shuttle

Both forward and backward shuttling share the same MMC message; direction is encoded as a sign value. It is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):

F0 7F <Device0ID> 06 47 <length=03> <sh> <sm> <sl> F7Note: sh, sm and sl are defined as Standard Speed in the MIDI 1.0 Recommended Practice RP-013.sh = Nominal Integer part of speed value: 0 g sss ppp g = sign (1 = reverse) sss = shift left count (see below) ppp = most significant bits of integer multiple of play-speedsm = MSB of nominal fractional part of speed value: 0 qqqqqqqsl = LSB of nominal fractional part of speed value: 0 rrrrrrrSpeed values per shift left count:BINARY REPRESENTATION USEABLE RANGES (DECIMAL)Integer multiple Fractional part Integer Fractionalsss of play speed of play speed range resolution000 ppp - qqqqqqqrrrrrrr 0-7 1/16384001 pppq - qqqqqqrrrrrrr 0-15 1/8192010 pppqq - qqqqqrrrrrrr 0-31 1/4096011 pppqqq - qqqqrrrrrrr 0-63 1/2048100 pppqqqq - qqqrrrrrrr 0-127 1/1024101 pppqqqqq - qqrrrrrrr 0-255 1/512110 pppqqqqqq - qrrrrrrr 0-511 1/256111 pppqqqqqqq - rrrrrrr 0-1023 1/128