MIDI notes in Scratch stands for Musial Instrument Digital Interfaces are musical notes that can be played on a computer or electronic device. They are written in the form of numbers and can be used to create melodies, rhythms, and sound effects. MIDI notes are represented by numbers.
The “play note ( ) for ( ) beats” block used the MIDI Note System. The note played by the “play note ( ) for ( ) beats” block with the pitch represented by the input given to this block as per the MIDI Note System and can be used to play the sequence of MIDI notes. By default, this block the notes of a piano, and the numbers of notes and beats are set to 60 and 0.25, respectively. When this block is selected and run, a graphic keyboard will appear on the screen.
In MIDI Note System, each note is selected either by using selecting or typing numbers or pressing the key on the virtual keyboard. The user can either select or type the number or press the key on the virtual keyboard to play a particular note.
As per the MIDI Note System, middle C is represented by 60. Adding or subtracting 1 from any number representing a key means moving one semitone higher or lower, respectively. Adding or subtracting 12 from any number representing a key means changing the particular note by one octave. In MIDI Note System, the higher the number, the higher the pitch of the note.
This is Chapter 5.10 in the
Advanced Scratch Tutorial
Looking to learn Scratch coding? Explore Wiingy’s Online Scratch Coding Classes For Kids to learn from top Scratch coding experts.
Notes
There are a total of 131 notes available in Scratch, numbered from 0 to 130. Each note is 1 number larger than the previous note. Some of the notes with their note number and frequency are given below:
| Note | Note Number | Frequency |
| C3 | 48 | 131 Hz |
| C#3 | 49 | 139 Hz |
| D3 | 50 | 147 Hz |
| D#3 | 1 | 156 Hz |
| E3 | 52 | 165 Hz |
| F3 | 53 | 175 Hz |
| F#3 | 54 | 185 Hz |
| G3 | 55 | 196 Hz |
| G#3 | 56 | 208 Hz |
| A3 | 57 | 220 Hz |
| A#3 | 58 | 233 Hz |
| B3 | 59 | 247 Hz |
| C4 (middle C) | 60 | 262 Hz |
| C#4 | 61 | 277 Hz |
| D4 | 62 | 294 Hz |
| D#4 | 63 | 311 Hz |
| E4 | 64 | 330 Hz |
| F4 | 65 | 349 Hz |
| F#4 | 66 | 370 Hz |
| G4 | 67 | 392 Hz |
| G#4 | 68 | 415 Hz |
| A4 | 69 | 440 Hz |
| A#4 | 70 | 466 Hz |
| B4 | 71 | 494 Hz |
| C5 | 72 | 523 Hz |
Beats
Similar to notes beats also have specific numbering on them to differentiate between different beats. The below image shows the numbering of the most common rhythms and beats in Scratch.
Uses of MIDI notes in Scratch
There are plenty of uses for MIDI Notes in Scratch, such as
- It helps the users in getting familiar with music blocks.
- It helps the users to create melodies and rhythms in your Scratch projects.
Looking to learn Scratch coding? Explore Wiingy’s Online Scratch Coding Classes For Kids to learn from top Scratch coding experts.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is a MIDI in Scratch?
In Scratch, MIDI stands for Musial Instrument Digital Interface are musical notes that can be played on a computer or electronic device.
How does MIDI notes are represented in Scratch?
In Scratch, the MIDI notes are represented using numbers.
What is the use of MIDI Notes in Scratch?
In Scratch, the MIDI Notes help the users in getting familiar with music blocks and to create melodies and rhythms in their Scratch projects.
How many total notes are available in Scratch?
In Scratch, there are a total of 131 notes available numbered from 0 to 130.
How does the semitone of a note get affected in Scratch?
Adding or subtracting 1 from any number representing a key affects the semitone of a note by one higher or lower, respectively.
We hope you understand what MIDI Notes in Scratch is and its uses. If you have any doubts, you can ask your doubts in the comment section.
Other Useful Reads
Different Broadcast Blocks in Scratch
Draggable Sprite Feature in Scratch
VECTORS vs BITMAP Image in Scratch
