{"history":[],"article":{"id":"035e1ecf-9549-4c93-be5e-bb91ca4d02fc","title":"MIDI Machine Control","slug":"midi-machine-control","content":":::summary\n:::\n\n# \n**[MIDI](https://bliptext.com/articles/midi) Machine Control**, or MMC, a subset of the [MIDI](https://bliptext.com/articles/midi) specification, provides specific commands for controlling recording equipment such as multi-track recorders.\nMMC messages can be sent along a standard MIDI cable for remote control of such functions as Play, Fast Forward, Rewind, Stop, Pause, and Record.\nThese are \"[System Exclusive](https://bliptext.com/articles/midi)\" (SysEx) messages, specifically Real Time Universal SysEx messages.\n\n# MIDI Universal Real Time SysEx Message Format\nMIDI includes System Exclusive messages that are extensions of the MIDI format implemented by MIDI manufacturers.\nSome of the extensions, the \"Universal\" ones, are a set of the same functions that different manufacturers can implement differently in detail.\nSome of them are Non [Real Time](https://bliptext.com/articles/real-time-computing), with no reliable delivery timing.\nOthers are Real Time, including MMC, so they are more reliably delivered when expected.\nSysEx messages start with ([hexadecimal](https://bliptext.com/articles/hexadecimal)) F0 and end with F7.\nUniversal Real Time SysEx messages start with F0, followed by 7F, then include other fields before the terminating F7.\nThe following shows Universal Real Time SysEx message format (all numbers hexadecimal):\nwhere is:\nand is one of the following values.\nThe bolded values are MIDI Machine Control related:\n\n# MMC Message Format\nAn MMC message is either an MMC command (Sub-ID#1=06) or an MMC response (Sub-ID#1=07).\nAs a SysEx message it is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):\nSub-ID#1: 06 = command\nSub-ID#2:\n01 Stop\n02 Play\n03 Deferred Play (play after no longer busy)\n04 Fast Forward\n05 Rewind\n06 Record Strobe (AKA [Punch In](https://bliptext.com/articles/punch-in-out))\n07 Record Exit (AKA [Punch out](https://bliptext.com/articles/punch-out-music))\n08 Record Pause\n09 Pause (pause playback)\n0A Eject (disengage media container from MMC device)\n0B Chase\n0D MMC Reset (to default/startup state)\n40 Write (AKA Record Ready, AKA Arm Tracks)\nparameters: 4F <track-bitmap-bytes>\n44 Goto (AKA Locate)\nparameters: =06 01\n47 Shuttle\nparameters: =03 (MIDI Standard Speed codes)\nSub-ID#1: 07 = response\nSub-ID#2: response state\nparameters: values detailing response state\n\n# MMC Commands\nMMC Commands are either MMC transport messages containing one [byte](https://bliptext.com/articles/byte) representing the command, or other types containing the command [byte](https://bliptext.com/articles/byte) followed by parameter [byte](https://bliptext.com/articles/byte)s.\nSome 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.\n\n## Record Ready\nThe Record Ready (Arm Tracks) message will record-enable tracks.\nIt is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):\nF0 7F 06 40 4F <track-bitmap> F7\nlength1: number of bytes between length1 and F7 length2: number of bytes in the track bitmap\ntrack-bitmap: Each track is assigned a bit in the track bitmap.\nTo set a track, you must know both the byte in which the track's bit lives, and also the bit corresponding to that track.\nNote that each byte can only hold 7 tracks.\nTrack 1: byte 1 + 0x20\nTrack 2: byte 1 + 0x40\nTrack 3: byte 2 + 0x01\nTrack 4: byte 2 + 0x02\nTrack 5: byte 2 + 0x04\nTrack 6: byte 2 + 0x08\nTrack 7: byte 2 + 0x10\nTrack 8: byte 2 + 0x20\nTrack 9: byte 2 + 0x40\nTrack 10: byte 3 + 0x01\nand so on.\n\n## Goto/Locate\nThe Goto (AKA Locate) message cues recording or playback to an [SMPTE](https://bliptext.com/articles/smpte-timecode) time (a specific hour, minute, second, [SMPTE](https://bliptext.com/articles/smpte-timecode) frame number, and subframe code).\nIt is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):\nF0 7F 06 44 =06 01 F7\nSub-ID#2 =44: LOCATE command\nlength: 06 Data byte count (always six bytes)\nsubcommand: 01 TARGET\nhr: hours and type (as with MTC Fullframe); values 0-17 (= 0-23 decimal)\nmn: minutes; values 0-3B (= 0-59 decimal)\nsc: seconds; values 0-3B (= 0-59 decimal)\nfr: frames; values 0-1D (= 0-29 decimal)\nff: sub-frames / fractional frames (leave at zero if un-sure); values 0-63 (= 0-99 decimal)\n(some manufacturers encode the subframe value differently at different frame rates to indicate subframe 0)\n\n## Shuttle\nBoth forward and backward shuttling share the same MMC message; direction is encoded as a sign value.\nIt is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):\nF0 7F 06 47 F7 Note: sh, sm and sl are defined as Standard Speed in the MIDI 1.0 Recommended Practice RP-013.\nsh = Nominal Integer part of speed value: 0 g sss ppp\ng = sign (1 = reverse)\nsss = shift left count (see below)\nppp = most significant bits of integer multiple of play-speed\nsm = MSB of nominal fractional part of speed value: 0 qqqqqqq\nsl = LSB of nominal fractional part of speed value: 0 rrrrrrr\nSpeed values per shift left count:\nBINARY REPRESENTATION USABLE RANGES (DECIMAL)\nInteger multiple Fractional part Integer Fractional\nsss of play speed of play speed range resolution\n000 ppp - qqqqqqqrrrrrrr 0-7 1/16384\n001 pppq - qqqqqqrrrrrrr 0-15 1/8192\n010 pppqq - qqqqqrrrrrrr 0-31 1/4096\n011 pppqqq - qqqqrrrrrrr 0-63 1/2048\n100 pppqqqq - qqqrrrrrrr 0-127 1/1024\n101 pppqqqqq - qqrrrrrrr 0-255 1/512\n110 pppqqqqqq - qrrrrrrr 0-511 1/256\n111 pppqqqqqqq - rrrrrrr 0-1023 1/128","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T07:52:50.243Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T07:52:50.243Z","search_vector":"'control':3 'machin':2 'midi':1","search_content":" \n \n\n# \n**[MIDI](https://bliptext.com/articles/midi) Machine Control**, or MMC, a subset of the [MIDI](https://bliptext.com/articles/midi) specification, provides specific commands for controlling recording equipment such as multi-track recorders.\nMMC messages can be sent along a standard MIDI cable for remote control of such functions as Play, Fast Forward, Rewind, Stop, Pause, and Record.\nThese are \"[System Exclusive](https://bliptext.com/articles/midi)\" (SysEx) messages, specifically Real Time Universal SysEx messages.\n\n# MIDI Universal Real Time SysEx Message Format\nMIDI includes System Exclusive messages that are extensions of the MIDI format implemented by MIDI manufacturers.\nSome of the extensions, the \"Universal\" ones, are a set of the same functions that different manufacturers can implement differently in detail.\nSome of them are Non [Real Time](https://bliptext.com/articles/real-time-computing), with no reliable delivery timing.\nOthers are Real Time, including MMC, so they are more reliably delivered when expected.\nSysEx messages start with ([hexadecimal](https://bliptext.com/articles/hexadecimal)) F0 and end with F7.\nUniversal Real Time SysEx messages start with F0, followed by 7F, then include other fields before the terminating F7.\nThe following shows Universal Real Time SysEx message format (all numbers hexadecimal):\nwhere is:\nand is one of the following values.\nThe bolded values are MIDI Machine Control related:\n\n# MMC Message Format\nAn MMC message is either an MMC command (Sub-ID#1=06) or an MMC response (Sub-ID#1=07).\nAs a SysEx message it is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):\nSub-ID#1: 06 = command\nSub-ID#2:\n01 Stop\n02 Play\n03 Deferred Play (play after no longer busy)\n04 Fast Forward\n05 Rewind\n06 Record Strobe (AKA [Punch In](https://bliptext.com/articles/punch-in-out))\n07 Record Exit (AKA [Punch out](https://bliptext.com/articles/punch-out-music))\n08 Record Pause\n09 Pause (pause playback)\n0A Eject (disengage media container from MMC device)\n0B Chase\n0D MMC Reset (to default/startup state)\n40 Write (AKA Record Ready, AKA Arm Tracks)\nparameters: 4F <track-bitmap-bytes>\n44 Goto (AKA Locate)\nparameters: =06 01\n47 Shuttle\nparameters: =03 (MIDI Standard Speed codes)\nSub-ID#1: 07 = response\nSub-ID#2: response state\nparameters: values detailing response state\n\n# MMC Commands\nMMC Commands are either MMC transport messages containing one [byte](https://bliptext.com/articles/byte) representing the command, or other types containing the command [byte](https://bliptext.com/articles/byte) followed by parameter [byte](https://bliptext.com/articles/byte)s.\nSome 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.\n\n## Record Ready\nThe Record Ready (Arm Tracks) message will record-enable tracks.\nIt is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):\nF0 7F 06 40 4F <track-bitmap> F7\nlength1: number of bytes between length1 and F7 length2: number of bytes in the track bitmap\ntrack-bitmap: Each track is assigned a bit in the track bitmap.\nTo set a track, you must know both the byte in which the track's bit lives, and also the bit corresponding to that track.\nNote that each byte can only hold 7 tracks.\nTrack 1: byte 1 + 0x20\nTrack 2: byte 1 + 0x40\nTrack 3: byte 2 + 0x01\nTrack 4: byte 2 + 0x02\nTrack 5: byte 2 + 0x04\nTrack 6: byte 2 + 0x08\nTrack 7: byte 2 + 0x10\nTrack 8: byte 2 + 0x20\nTrack 9: byte 2 + 0x40\nTrack 10: byte 3 + 0x01\nand so on.\n\n## Goto/Locate\nThe Goto (AKA Locate) message cues recording or playback to an [SMPTE](https://bliptext.com/articles/smpte-timecode) time (a specific hour, minute, second, [SMPTE](https://bliptext.com/articles/smpte-timecode) frame number, and subframe code).\nIt is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):\nF0 7F 06 44 =06 01 F7\nSub-ID#2 =44: LOCATE command\nlength: 06 Data byte count (always six bytes)\nsubcommand: 01 TARGET\nhr: hours and type (as with MTC Fullframe); values 0-17 (= 0-23 decimal)\nmn: minutes; values 0-3B (= 0-59 decimal)\nsc: seconds; values 0-3B (= 0-59 decimal)\nfr: frames; values 0-1D (= 0-29 decimal)\nff: sub-frames / fractional frames (leave at zero if un-sure); values 0-63 (= 0-99 decimal)\n(some manufacturers encode the subframe value differently at different frame rates to indicate subframe 0)\n\n## Shuttle\nBoth forward and backward shuttling share the same MMC message; direction is encoded as a sign value.\nIt is formatted (all numbers hexadecimal):\nF0 7F 06 47 F7 Note: sh, sm and sl are defined as Standard Speed in the MIDI 1.0 Recommended Practice RP-013.\nsh = Nominal Integer part of speed value: 0 g sss ppp\ng = sign (1 = reverse)\nsss = shift left count (see below)\nppp = most significant bits of integer multiple of play-speed\nsm = MSB of nominal fractional part of speed value: 0 qqqqqqq\nsl = LSB of nominal fractional part of speed value: 0 rrrrrrr\nSpeed values per shift left count:\nBINARY REPRESENTATION USABLE RANGES (DECIMAL)\nInteger multiple Fractional part Integer Fractional\nsss of play speed of play speed range resolution\n000 ppp - qqqqqqqrrrrrrr 0-7 1/16384\n001 pppq - qqqqqqrrrrrrr 0-15 1/8192\n010 pppqq - qqqqqrrrrrrr 0-31 1/4096\n011 pppqqq - qqqqrrrrrrr 0-63 1/2048\n100 pppqqqq - qqqrrrrrrr 0-127 1/1024\n101 pppqqqqq - qqrrrrrrr 0-255 1/512\n110 pppqqqqqq - qrrrrrrr 0-511 1/256\n111 pppqqqqqqq - rrrrrrr 0-1023 1/128","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}

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