Channels, Newbie needs help with channels. Options

[hazimel]

Yes, this is a stupid newbie question, but can anyone explain the use of midi channels. I understood the concept on a four track but I'm having trouble understanding how to use them with midi. I have a simple setup: cakewalk, QT music intruments (for now), an SR-16 drum machine, and some live audio tracks.

[damann]

o.k. each midi channl is an individually controllable instrument.
you know, bass, strings, pad etc.
in the old days of tape each of these would have it's own track, nowadays it has it's own "midi channel" unless it's not generated by a synth/sampler in which case, for instance, it's a vocal or live guitar solo and threfore it's an "audio track".
capiche?