On MIDI sound modules (ie, whose Patches are instrumental sounds), it became desirable to define a standard set of Patches in order to make sound modules more compatible. For example, it was decided that Patch number 1 on all sound modules should be the sound of an Acoustic Grand Piano. In this way, no matter what MIDI sound module you use, when you change to Patch number 1, you always hear some sort of Acoustic Grand Piano sound. A standard was set for 128 Patches which must appear in a specific order, and this standard is called General MIDI (GM). For example, Patch number 25 on a GM module must be a Nylon String Guitar. The chart, GM Patches, shows you the names of all GM Patches, and their respective Program Change numbers.
The patches are arranged into 16 "families" of instruments, with each family containing 8 instruments. For example, there is a Reed family. Among the 8 instruments within the Reed family, you will find Saxophone, Oboe, and Clarinet.
A GM sound module should be multi-timbral, meaning that it can play MIDI messages upon all 16 channels simultaneously, with a different GM Patch sounding for each channel.
Furthermore, all patches must sound an A440 pitch when receiving a MIDI note number of 69.
If the GM module also has a built-in "drum module" (ie, usually one of 16 Parts), then each of that Drum Part's MIDI notes triggers a different drum sound. The assignments of drum sounds to MIDI notes is shown in the chart, GM Drum Sounds. The Drum Part is usually set to receive MIDI messages upon channel 10.
GM Standard makes it easy for musicians to put Program Change messages in their MIDI (sequencer) song files, confident that those messages will select the correct instruments on all GM sound modules, and the song file would therefore play all of the correct instrumentation automatically. Furthermore, musicians need not worry about parts being played back in the wrong octave. Finally, musicians didn't have to worry that a snare drum part, for example, wouldn't be played back on a Cymbal. The GM spec also spells out other minimum requirements that a GM module should meet, such as being able to respond to Pitch and Modulation Wheels, and also be able to play 24 notes simultaneously (with dynamic voice allocation between the 16 Parts). All of these standards help to ensure that MIDI Files play back properly upon setups of various equipment.
The GM standard is actually not encompassed in the MIDI specification, and there's no reason why someone can't set up the Patches in his sound module to be entirely different sounds than the GM set. After all, most MIDI sound modules offer such programmability. But, most have a GM option so that musicians can easily play the many MIDI files that expect a GM module.
Finally, the GM spec spells out a few global settings. For example, the module should respond to velocity (ie, for note messages). This may be hard-wired to control the VCA level (ie, volume) of each note. Some modules may allow velocity to affect other parameters. The pitch wheel bend range should default to +/- 2 semitones. The module also should respond to Channel Pressure (often used to control VCA level or VCO level for vibrato depth) as well as the following MIDI controller messages: Modulation (1) (usually hard-wired to control LFO amount, ie, vibrato), Channel Volume (7), Pan (10), Expression (11), Sustain (64), Reset All Controllers (121), and All Notes Off (123). Channel Volume should default to 90, with all other controllers and effects off (including pitch wheel offset of 0). Additionally, the module should respond to these Registered Parameter Numbers: Pitch Wheel Bend Range (0), Fine Tuning (1), and Coarse Tuning (2). Initial tuning should be standard, A440 reference.
There is a MIDI System Exclusive message that can be used to turn a module's General MIDI mode on or off. See the MIDI specification. This is useful for modules that also offer more expansive, non-GM playback modes or extra, programmable banks of patches beyond the GM set, but need to allow the musician to switch to GM mode when desired.
NOTE: The GM spec doesn't dictate how a module produces sound. For example, one module could use cheap FM synthesis to simulate the Acoustic Grand Piano patch. Another module could use 24 digital audio waveforms of various notes on a piano, mapped out across the MIDI note range, to create that one Piano patch. Obviously, the 2 patches won't sound exactly alike, but at least they will both be piano patches on the 2 modules. So too, GM doesn't dictate VCA envelopes for the various patches, so for example, the Sax patch upon one module may have a longer release time than the same patch upon another module.
This chart shows the names of all 128 GM Instruments, and the MIDI Program Change numbers which select those Instruments.
Prog# Instrument Prog# Instrument PIANO CHROMATIC PERCUSSION 1 Acoustic Grand 9 Celesta 2 Bright Acoustic 10 Glockenspiel 3 Electric Grand 11 Music Box 4 Honky-Tonk 12 Vibraphone 5 Electric Piano 1 13 Marimba 6 Electric Piano 2 14 Xylophone 7 Harpsichord 15 Tubular Bells 8 Clavinet 16 Dulcimer ORGAN GUITAR 17 Drawbar Organ 25 Nylon String Guitar 18 Percussive Organ 26 Steel String Guitar 19 Rock Organ 27 Electric Jazz Guitar 20 Church Organ 28 Electric Clean Guitar 21 Reed Organ 29 Electric Muted Guitar 22 Accoridan 30 Overdriven Guitar 23 Harmonica 31 Distortion Guitar 24 Tango Accordian 32 Guitar Harmonics BASS SOLO STRINGS 33 Acoustic Bass 41 Violin 34 Electric Bass(finger) 42 Viola 35 Electric Bass(pick) 43 Cello 36 Fretless Bass 44 Contrabass 37 Slap Bass 1 45 Tremolo Strings 38 Slap Bass 2 46 Pizzicato Strings 39 Synth Bass 1 47 Orchestral Strings 40 Synth Bass 2 48 Timpani ENSEMBLE BRASS 49 String Ensemble 1 57 Trumpet 50 String Ensemble 2 58 Trombone 51 SynthStrings 1 59 Tuba 52 SynthStrings 2 60 Muted Trumpet 53 Choir Aahs 61 French Horn 54 Voice Oohs 62 Brass Section 55 Synth Voice 63 SynthBrass 1 56 Orchestra Hit 64 SynthBrass 2 REED PIPE 65 Soprano Sax 73 Piccolo 66 Alto Sax 74 Flute 67 Tenor Sax 75 Recorder 68 Baritone Sax 76 Pan Flute 69 Oboe 77 Blown Bottle 70 English Horn 78 Skakuhachi 71 Bassoon 79 Whistle 72 Clarinet 80 Ocarina SYNTH LEAD SYNTH PAD 81 Lead 1 (square) 89 Pad 1 (new age) 82 Lead 2 (sawtooth) 90 Pad 2 (warm) 83 Lead 3 (calliope) 91 Pad 3 (polysynth) 84 Lead 4 (chiff) 92 Pad 4 (choir) 85 Lead 5 (charang) 93 Pad 5 (bowed) 86 Lead 6 (voice) 94 Pad 6 (metallic) 87 Lead 7 (fifths) 95 Pad 7 (halo) 88 Lead 8 (bass+lead) 96 Pad 8 (sweep) SYNTH EFFECTS ETHNIC 97 FX 1 (rain) 105 Sitar 98 FX 2 (soundtrack) 106 Banjo 99 FX 3 (crystal) 107 Shamisen 100 FX 4 (atmosphere) 108 Koto 101 FX 5 (brightness) 109 Kalimba 102 FX 6 (goblins) 110 Bagpipe 103 FX 7 (echoes) 111 Fiddle 104 FX 8 (sci-fi) 112 Shanai PERCUSSIVE SOUND EFFECTS 113 Tinkle Bell 121 Guitar Fret Noise 114 Agogo 122 Breath Noise 115 Steel Drums 123 Seashore 116 Woodblock 124 Bird Tweet 117 Taiko Drum 125 Telephone Ring 118 Melodic Tom 126 Helicopter 119 Synth Drum 127 Applause 120 Reverse Cymbal 128 Gunshot
Prog# refers to the MIDI Program Change number that causes this Patch to be selected. These decimal numbers are what the user normally sees on his module's display (or in a sequencer's "Event List"), but note that MIDI modules count the first Patch as 0, not 1. So, the value that is sent in the Program Change message would actually be one less. For example, the Patch number for Reverse Cymbal is actually sent as 119 rather than 120. But, when entering that Patch number using sequencer software or your module's control panel, the software or module understands that humans normally start counting from 1, and so would expect that you'd count the Reverse Cymbal as Patch 120. Therefore, the software or module automatically does this subtraction when it generates the MIDI Program Change message.
So, sending a MIDI Program Change with a value of 120 (ie, actually 119) to a Part causes the Reverse Cymbal Patch to be selected for playing that Part's MIDI data.
This chart shows what drum sounds are assigned to each MIDI note for a GM module (ie, that has a drum part).
MIDI Drum Sound MIDI Drum Sound Note # Note # 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