General MIDI is an addition to the original MIDI specification. It follows a standard that assigns 128 instrument sounds that are assigned to specific numbers. There are sixteen specific families or types of instruments and eight instruments within each group. A separate group of percussion sounds is usually available on MIDI channel ten, and they are assigned to specific notes on a MIDI keyboard.
Any MIDI device that conforms to the General MIDI Standard will assign
each instrument to a specific number and will allocate at least a 24 note
polyphonic capability. The General MIDI Standard was created so that generic
Standard MIDI Files created on a sequencer or notation application
may be played back on another device while preserving the integrity of the
original selection.
This Standard has also been integrated into the Quick-Time Movie format
in the form of the Musical Instruments Extension. This program allows
the tracks from a Standard MIDI File to be loaded as a Quick-Time movie
that may be played back without a MIDI module. Plug-ins on a web browser
will use the same extension to play MIDI files on the web. Quick-Time 3.0
now supports all 128 voices. Listed below is the complete list of the General
MIDI Instruments. Some of the voices below are programmed to play a MIDI
file with the selected sound by pressing on the link.
Piano | return to the top | ||
---|---|---|---|
1.Acoustic Piano | 2.BrtAcou Piano | 3.ElecGrand Piano | 4.Honky Tonk Piano |
5.Elec.Piano 1 | 6.Elec.Piano 2 | 7.Harsichprd | 8.Clavichord |
Chromatic Percussion | return to the top | ||
9.Celesta | 10.Glockenspiel | 11.Music Box | 12.Vibraphone |
13.Marimba | 14.Xylophone | 15.Tubular Bells | 16.Dulcimer |
Organ | return to the top | ||
17.Drawbar Organ | 18.Perc. Organ | 19.Rock Organ | 20.Church Organ |
21.Reed Organ | 22.Accordian | 23.Harmonica | 24.Tango Accordian |
Guitar | return to the top | ||
25.Acoustic Guitar | 26.SteelAcous. Guitar | 27.El.Jazz Guitar | 28.Electric Guitar |
29.El. Muted Guitar | 30.Overdriven Guitar | 31.Distortion Guitar | 32.Guitar Harmonic |
Bass | return to the top | ||
33.Acoustic Bass | 34.El.Bass Finger | 35.El.Bass Pick | 36.Fretless Bass |
37.Slap Bass 1 | 38.Slap Bass 2 | 39.Synth Bass 1 | 40.Synth Bass 2 |
Strings | return to the top | ||
41.Violin | 42. Viola | 43.Cello | 44.Contra Bass |
45.Tremelo Strings | 46.Pizz. Strings | 47.Orch. Strings | 48.Timpani |
Ensemble | return to the top | ||
49.String Ens.1 | 50.String Ens.2 | 51.Synth.Strings 1 | 52.Synth.Strings 2 |
53.Choir Aahs | 54. Voice Oohs | 55. Synth Voice | 56.Orchestra Hit |
Brass | return to the top | ||
57.Trumpet | 58.Trombone | 59.Tuba | 60.Muted Trumpet |
61.French Horn | 62.Brass Section | 63.Synth Brass 1 | 64.Synth Brass 2 |
Reed | return to the top | ||
65.Soprano Sax | 66.Alto Sax | 67.Tenor Sax | 68.Baritone Sax |
69. Oboe | 70.English Horn | 71.Bassoon | 72.Clarinet |
Pipe | return to the top | ||
73.Piccolo | 74.Flute | 75.Recorder | 76.Pan Flute |
77.Blown Bottle | 78.Shakuhachi | 79.Whistle | 80.Ocarina |
Synth Lead | return to the top | ||
81.Lead1 Square | 82.Lead2 Sawtooth | 83.Lead3 Calliope | 84.Lead4 Chiff |
85.Lead5 Charang | 86.Lead6 Voice | 87.Lead7 Fifths | 88.Lead8 Bass Ld |
Synth Pad | return to the top | ||
89.Pad1 New Age | 90.Pad2 Warm | 91.Pad3 Polysynth | 92.Pad4 Choir |
93.Pad5 Bowed | 94.Pad6 Metallic | 95.Pad7 Halo | 96.Pad8 Sweep |
Synth F/X | return to the top | ||
97.FX1 Rain | 98.FX2 Soundtrack | 99.FX3 Crystal | 100.FX4 Atmosphere |
101.FX5 Brightness | 102.FX6 Goblins | 103.FX7 Echoes | 104.FX8 Sci-Fi |
Ethnic | return to the top | ||
105.Sitar | 106.Banjo | 107.Shamisen | 108.Koto |
109.Kalimba | 110. Bagpipe | 111. Fiddle | 112. Shanai |
Percussive | return to the top | ||
113.TinkerBell | 114.Agogo | 115.SteelDrums | 116.Woodblock |
117.TaikoDrum | 118.Melodic Tom | 119.SynthDrum | 120.Reverse Cymbal |
Sound F/X | return to the top | ||
121.Guitar Fret Noise | 122. Breath Noise | 123.Seashore | 124.BirdTweet |
125.Telephone | 126.Helicopter | 127.Applause | 128.Gunshot |