What is a MIDI Sampler?

Question

For example, http://www.americanmusical.com/images/d/p30064d.jpg

How is it used with keyboard or organ, and what is it?

Answer 1

It is a digital sampler that can accept MIDI commands.

For example, if you had the sound of a car horn, and a goat, you could assign the car horn to middle C, and the goat to D#. With a sampler, you don't need a musical keyboard to play notes, just send MIDI notes by computer or another MIDI device, and the sampled sound plays at the volume and pitch contained in the MIDI instruction. Think of it as a sound bank, that you can call-up with a simple MIDI device.

Answer 2

M.I.D.I stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Basically, it's a digital sample that can be used an altered by midi compatible equipment/software.

Keyboards use midi samples such as drums, percussion etc so that you can get the sound of these instruments without having to carry around each individual instrument. By pressing a key on a keyboard, that triggers the midi sample. You can alter the sample in pitch, speed, volume etc, depending on your gear.

Answer 3

Simply put it is a 'sound effects machine'. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) refers to the connection type; computer. It can be used in thousands of different ways/modes. You will almost certainly need studio speakers with the 'board'. These speakers have internal amplification units so that you don't have to wire a pre-amp between the 'board" and the speakers. When used in unison with a keyboard it is sometimes 'loaded' with pre-recorded effects, this can be sound effects, back beat, bass line, or all of the above at the same time. You will just have to play around with one to see just exactly how it will add to your set up. It can be used to insert a 'sampled' (extracted) piece of anything recorded onto a CD for recording/reproduction purposes too.