MIDI Basics for Guitarists

MIDI — Musical Instrument Digital Interface — was invented in 1983, but it's more relevant to guitarists today than ever. If your amp has a MIDI jack, or you're running a modern multi-effects unit, or you use a loop switcher, you're already in MIDI territory.

Here's what you actually need to understand.

What MIDI Is (and Isn't)

MIDI is not audio. It's not a cable that carries your guitar signal. MIDI carries instructions — digital messages that tell other devices what to do.

A MIDI message might say "switch to preset 4" or "turn on the effect on channel 7" or "change the value of this parameter to 64." Your gear receives those messages and acts on them.

The Two Messages You'll Use Most

Program Change (PC)

A Program Change message tells a device to load a preset. If your amp has 128 presets, a PC message with a value of 0–127 will load the corresponding preset.

PC #12 → Load preset 12 on your amp

Control Change (CC)

A Control Change message sends a continuous or toggle value to a specific parameter. CC messages have two parts: the controller number (which parameter) and the value (0–127).

CC #80, Value 127 → Turn on the effect assigned to CC #80
CC #80, Value 0   → Turn it off

Common use cases: switching loops on a loop switcher, toggling effects, controlling expression parameters.

Channels

MIDI sends messages on channels 1–16. Most gear defaults to receiving on all channels (Omni mode). If you're controlling multiple devices, you can assign each to a different channel and send targeted messages.

What Cuelist Does With This

The Cuelist pedal lets you assign PC and CC messages to each section of each song in your setlist. When you step into the VERSE section of a song, it fires all the MIDI messages you've assigned to that section — simultaneously, in order.

No more menu diving mid-set. Your rig reconfigures itself.