General MIDI Level 1 Sound Set
General MIDI's most recognized feature is the defined list of sounds or "patches". However, General MIDI does not actually define the way the sound will be reproduced, only the name of that sound.
Though this can obviously result in wide variations in performance from the same song data on different GM sound sources, the authors of General MIDI felt it important to allow each manufacturer to have their own ideas and express their personal aesthetics when it comes to picking the exact timbres for each sound.
Each manufacturer must insure that their sounds provide an acceptable representation of song data written for General MIDI. Guidelines for developing GM compatible sound sets and song data are available through the MMA.
General MIDI Level 1 Instrument Patch Map
- The names of the instruments indicate what sort of sound will be heard when that instrument number (MIDI Program Change or "PC#") is selected on the GM1 synthesizer.
- These sounds are the same for all MIDI Channels except Channel 10, which has only percussion sounds and some sound "effects". (See "GM1 Percussion Key Map")
GM1 Instrument Families
The General MIDI Level 1 instrument sounds are grouped by families. In each family are 8 specific instruments.
PC# Family PC# Family 1-8 Piano 65-72 Reed 9-16 Chromatic Percussion 73-80 Pipe 17-24 Organ 81-88 Synth Lead 25-32 Guitar 89-96 Synth Pad 33-40 Bass 97-104 Synth Effects 41-48 Strings 105-112 Ethnic 49-56 Ensemble 113-120 Percussive 57-64 Brass 121-128 Sound Effects
GM1 Instrument Patch Map
Note: While GM1 does not define the actual characteristics of any sounds, the names in parentheses after each of the synthesizer leads, pads, and sound effects are, in particular, intended only as guides).
PC# Instrument 1. Acoustic Grand Piano 65. Soprano Sax 2. Bright Acoustic Piano 66. Alto Sax 3. Electric Grand Piano 67. Tenor Sax 4. Honky-tonk Piano 68. Baritone Sax 5. Electric Piano 1 69. Oboe 6. Electric Piano 2 70. English Horn 7. Harpsichord 71. Bassoon 8. Clavi 72. Clarinet 9. Celesta 73. Piccolo 10. Glockenspiel 74. Flute 11. Music Box 75. Recorder 12. Vibraphone 76. Pan Flute 13. Marimba 77. Blown Bottle 14. Xylophone 78. Shakuhachi 15. Tubular Bells 79. Whistle 16. Dulcimer 80. Ocarina 17. Drawbar Organ 81. Lead 1 (square) 18. Percussive Organ 82. Lead 2 (sawtooth) 19. Rock Organ 83. Lead 3 (calliope) 20. Church Organ 84. Lead 4 (chiff) 21. Reed Organ 85. Lead 5 (charang) 22. Accordion 86. Lead 6 (voice) 23. Harmonica 87. Lead 7 (fifths) 24. Tango Accordion 88. Lead 8 (bass + lead) 25. Acoustic Guitar (nylon) 89. Pad 1 (new age) 26. Acoustic Guitar (steel) 90. Pad 2 (warm) 27. Electric Guitar (jazz) 91. Pad 3 (polysynth) 28. Electric Guitar (clean) 92. Pad 4 (choir) 29. Electric Guitar (muted) 93. Pad 5 (bowed) 30. Overdriven Guitar 94. Pad 6 (metallic) 31. Distortion Guitar 95. Pad 7 (halo) 32. Guitar harmonics 96. Pad 8 (sweep) 33. Acoustic Bass 97. FX 1 (rain) 34. Electric Bass (finger) 98. FX 2 (soundtrack) 35. Electric Bass (pick) 99. FX 3 (crystal) 36. Fretless Bass 100. FX 4 (atmosphere) 37. Slap Bass 1 101. FX 5 (brightness) 38. Slap Bass 2 102. FX 6 (goblins) 39. Synth Bass 1 103. FX 7 (echoes) 40. Synth Bass 2 104. FX 8 (sci-fi) 41. Violin 105. Sitar 42. Viola 106. Banjo 43. Cello 107. Shamisen 44. Contrabass 108. Koto 45. Tremolo Strings 109. Kalimba 46. Pizzicato Strings 110. Bag pipe 47. Orchestral Harp 111. Fiddle 48. Timpani 112. Shanai 49. String Ensemble 1 113. Tinkle Bell 50. String Ensemble 2 114. Agogo 51. SynthStrings 1 115. Steel Drums 52. SynthStrings 2 116. Woodblock 53. Choir Aahs 117. Taiko Drum 54. Voice Oohs 118. Melodic Tom 55. Synth Voice 119. Synth Drum 56. Orchestra Hit 120. Reverse Cymbal 57. Trumpet 121. Guitar Fret Noise 58. Trombone 122. Breath Noise 59. Tuba 123. Seashore 60. Muted Trumpet 124. Bird Tweet 61. French Horn 125. Telephone Ring 62. Brass Section 126. Helicopter 63. SynthBrass 1 127. Applause 64. SynthBrass 2 128. Gunshot
General MIDI Level 1 Percussion Key Map
On MIDI Channel 10, each MIDI Note number ("Key#") corresponds to a different drum sound, as shown below. GM-compatible instruments must have the sounds on the keys shown here. While many current instruments also have additional sounds above or below the range show here, and may even have additional "kits" with variations of these sounds, only these sounds are supported by General MIDI Level 1 devices.Key# Drum Sound Key# Drum Sound 35 Acoustic Bass Drum 59 Ride Cymbal 2 36 Bass Drum 1 60 Hi Bongo 37 Side Stick 61 Low Bongo 38 Acoustic Snare 62 Mute Hi Conga 39 Hand Clap 63 Open Hi Conga 40 Electric Snare 64 Low Conga 41 Low Floor Tom 65 High Timbale 42 Closed Hi Hat 66 Low Timbale 43 High Floor Tom 67 High Agogo 44 Pedal Hi-Hat 68 Low Agogo 45 Low Tom 69 Cabasa 46 Open Hi-Hat 70 Maracas 47 Low-Mid Tom 71 Short Whistle 48 Hi Mid Tom 72 Long Whistle 49 Crash Cymbal 1 73 Short Guiro 50 High Tom 74 Long Guiro 51 Ride Cymbal 1 75 Claves 52 Chinese Cymbal 76 Hi Wood Block 53 Ride Bell 77 Low Wood Block 54 Tambourine 78 Mute Cuica 55 Splash Cymbal 79 Open Cuica 56 Cowbell 80 Mute Triangle 57 Crash Cymbal 2 81 Open Triangle 58 Vibraslap
