Occurring at the same time as other, usually human, activities. In real-time sequence recording, timing information is encoded along with the note data by analyzing the timing of the input. In real-time editing, changes in parameter settings can be heard immediately, without the need to play a new note or wait for computational processes to be completed. (1) The ability of a computer or other device to carry out a process without noticeable delay, such as real-time editing on a sequencer where changes are made to the music as it plays. The opposite of off-line(1). (2) In a sequencer, the ability to record MIDI messages as they are played on a keyboard or other controller, i.e., to behave like a tape recorder. This is generally the method preferred by musicians. The opposite of step-time. (3) Events which have to occur at particular times to ensure synchronization between devices such as a time code message, as opposed to those
(non-real-time) events which can occur at any time. (4) See System-Exclusive.