TCG's MIDI-Info Page

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Instruments Drums Controllers, Etc.

This page has been designed, above all, to clarify in what ways GM, GS, and QTMI "agree & disagree" in their use of instrument patches and drums (including names & numbers), and their compatibility in terms of MIDI controller messages. I've consulted various books, user manuals, and other Internet resources, but--to paraphrase Tom Waits--this ain't the gospel: it's only "church"!

1/98: Updated QTMI info to 3.0 version. . . .

I. -------- Instrument Patch Lists (GM/QTMI/GS-SC) --------

 

========KEY========

Patch # -- ...from 1-128 (GM); if your synth/module numbers them 0-127, subtract 1!

GM -- General MIDI patch names

QTMI -- that is, the Quick Time Musical Instruments software synthesizer (QT 2.5 for Mac [_now 3.0_!])
  + -- an actual sample for the GM patch of the same name exists; if it has a different name than the GM patch, said name is directly beneath the "+" on the next line, in {curly brackets}: thus the GM Electric Piano 1 is called (more simply) a Rhodes Piano...
  [#] -- no sample exists for this patch, so it "defaults" to the patch # in [brackets]: for example, several of the brass instruments are actually handled by the Trumpet patch [57]...
[Update: QTMI now has all 127 GM patches, so the above is obsolete, and the GM entries rather redundant; NOW the "+" indicates that QTMI has the Roland GS patch to its right!]

GS/SC -- General Synthesizer patch name equivalents, plus the "extra" bank-select patches available in the SC-55mkII (= SC55/ST = SCD-15 = SCP-55 = JV-35?); newer and/or more expensive Sound Canvases have more banks, of course; also, the SC's MT-32 bank(127) patches aren't given here, since they aren't GM-compatible...

=============================================================
Patch #         GM                QTMI 3.0              GS:SC-55mkII
=======    ============      ==================       ================

PIANO (1-8)::
-------------
  1 Acoustic Grand Piano    Acoustic Grand Piano        Piano 1
                                                         08  Piano 1w
                                  +                      16  Piano 1d
  2 Bright Acoustic Piano   Bright Acoustic Piano       Piano 2
                                                         08  Piano 2w
  3 Electric Grand Piano    Electric Grand Piano        Piano 3
                                                         08  Piano 3w
  4 Honky-Tonk Piano        Honky-Tonk Piano            Honky-tonk
                                                         08  Honky-tonk w
  5 Electric Piano 1        Rhodes Piano                E.Piano 1
                                  +                      08  Detuned EP1
                                  +                      16  E.Piano 1v
                                  +                      24  60s E.Piano
  6 Electric Piano 2        Chorused Piano              E.Piano 2
                                  +                      08  Detuned EP2
                                                         16  E.Piano 2v
  7 Harpsichord             Harpsichord                 Harpsichord
                                  +                      08  Coupled Hps.
                                                         16  Harpsi.w
                                  +                      24  Harpsi.o
  8 Clav                    Clavinet                    Clav.

CHROMATIC PERCUSSION (9-16)::
-----------------------------
  9 Celesta                 Celesta                     Celesta
 10 Glockenspiel            Glockenspiel                Glockenspiel
 11 Music Box               Music Box                   Music Box
 12 Vibraphone              Vibraphone                  Vibraphone
                                                         08  Vib.w
 13 Marimba                 Marimba                     Marimba
                                                         08  Marimba w
 14 Xylophone               Xylophone                   Xylophone
 15 Tubular bells           Tubular bells               Tubular-bell
                                  +                      08  Church Bell
                                  +                      09  Carillon
 16 Dulcimer                Dulcimer                    Santur

ORGAN (17-24)::
---------------
 17 Drawbar Organ           Hammond Organ               Organ 1
                                  +                      08  Detuned Or.1
                                  +                      16  60's Organ1
                                  +                      32 Organ 4
 18 Percussive Organ        Percussive Organ            Organ 2
                                  +                      08  Detuned Or.2
                                  +                      32  Organ 5
 19 Rock Organ              Rock Organ                  Organ 3
 20 Church Organ            Church Organ                Church Org.1
                                  +                      08  Church Org.2
                                  +                      16  Church Org.3
 21 Reed Organ              Reed Organ                  Reed Organ
 22 Accordion               Accordion                   Accordion Fr
                                  +                      08  Accordion It
 23 Harmonica               Harmonica                   Harmonica
 24 Tango Accordian         Tango Accordian             Bandoneon

GUITAR (25-32)::
----------------
 25 Acoustic Guitar(nylon)  Acoustic Nylon Guitar       Nylon-str. Gt.
                                  +                      08  Ukulele
                                  +                      16  Nylon Gt.o
                                                         32  Nylon Gt.2
 26 Acoustic Guitar(steel)  Acoustic Steel Guitar       Steel-str. Gt.
                                                         08  12-str. Gt.
                                  +                     16  Mandolin
 27 Electric Guitar(jazz)   Electric Jazz Guitar        Jazz Gt.
                                  +                      08  Hawaiian Gt.
 28 Electric Guitar(clean)  Electric Clean Guitar       Clean Gt.
                                  +                      08  Chorus Gt.
 29 Electric Guitar(muted)  Electric Guitar Muted       Muted Gt.
                                  +                      08  Funk Gt.
                                  +                      16  Funk Gt.2
 30 Overdriven Guitar       Overdriven Guitar           Overdrive Gt.
 31 Distortion Guitar       Distortion Guitar           Distortion Gt.
                                  +                      08  Feedback Gt.
 32 Guitar Harmonics        Guitar Harmonics            Gt. Harmonics
                                  +                      08  Gt. Feedback
 
BASS (33-40)::
--------------
 33 Acoustic Bass           Acoustic Fretless Bass      Acoustic Bs.
 34 Electric Bass(finger)   Electric Bass Fingered      Fingered Bs.
 35 Electric Bass(pick)     Electric Bass Picked        Picked Bs.
 36 Fretless Bass           Fretless Bass               Fretless Bs.
 37 Slap Bass 1             Slap Bass 1                 Slap Bass 1
 38 Slap Bass 2             Slap Bass 2                 Slap Bass 2
 39 Synth Bass 1            Synth Bass 1                Synth Bass 1
                                  +                      01  Synth Bass101
                                  +                      08 Synth Bass 3
 40 Synth Bass 2            Synth Bass 2                Synth Bass 2
                                  +                      08  Synth Bass 4
                                  +                      16  Rubber Bass

STRINGS & ORCHESTRA (41-48)::
-----------------------------
 41 Violin                  Violin                      Violin
                                                         08  Slow Violin
 42 Viola                   Viola                       Viola
 43 Cello                   Cello                       Cello
 44 Contrabass              Contrabass                  Contrabass
 45 Tremolo Strings         Tremolo Strings             Tremolo Str
 46 Pizzicato Strings       Pizzicato Strings           Pizzicato Str
 47 Orchestral Harp         Orchestral Harp             Harp
 48 Timpani                 Timpani                     Timpani

ENSEMBLE (49-56)::
------------------
 49 String Ensemble 1       Acoustic String Ensemble    Strings
                                  +                      08  Orchestra
 50 String Ensemble 2       Acoustic String Ensemble 2  Slow Strings
 51 SynthStrings 1          SynthStrings 1              Syn. Strings 1
                                  +                      08  Syn. Strings 3
 52 SynthStrings 2          SynthStrings 2              Syn. Strings 2
 53 Choir Aahs              Aah Choir                   Choir Aahs
                                  +                      32  Choir Aahs 2
 54 Voice Oohs              Ooh Choir                   Voice Oohs
 55 Synth Voice             Synth Vox                   SynVox         
 56 Orchestra Hit           Orchestra Hit               Orchestra Hit

BRASS (57-64)::
---------------
 57 Trumpet                 Trumpet                     Trumpet
 58 Trombone                Trombone                    Trombone
                                  +                      01  Trombone 2
 59 Tuba                    Tuba                        Tuba
 60 Muted Trumpet           Muted Trumpet               Muted Trumpet
 61 French Horn             French Horn                 French Horn
                                  +                      01  Fr.Horn 2
 62 Brass Section           Brass Section               Brass 1
                                  +                      08  Brass 2
 63 Synth Brass 1           Synth Brass 1               Synth Brass 1
                                  +                      08  Synth Brass 3
                                  +                      16  Analog Brass 1 
 64 Synth Brass 2           Synth Brass 2               Synth Brass 2
                                  +                      08  Synth Brass 4
                                  +                      16  Analog Brass 2

REED (65-72)::
--------------
 65 Soprano Sax             Soprano Sax                 Soprano Sax
 66 Alto Sax                Alto Sax                    Alto Sax
 67 Tenor Sax               Tenor Sax                   Tenor Sax
 68 Baritone Sax            Baritone Sax                Baritone Sax
 69 Oboe                    Oboe                        Oboe
 70 English Horn            English Horn                English Horn
 71 Bassoon                 Bassoon                     Bassoon
 72 Clarinet                Clarinet                    Clarinet
 
PIPE (73-80)::
--------------
 73 Piccolo                 Piccolo                     Piccolo
 74 Flute                   Flute                       Flute
 75 Recorder                Recorder                    Recorder
 76 Pan Flute               Pan Flute                   Pan Flute
 77 Blown Bottle            Blown Bottle                Bottle Blow
 78 Shakuhachi              Shakuhachi                  Shakuhachi 
 79 Whistle                 Whistle                     Whistle
 80 Ocarina                 Ocarina                     Ocarina

SYNTH LEAD (81-88)::
--------------------
 81 Lead 1 (square)         Square Wave                 Square Wave
                                  +                      01  Square
                                  +                      08  Sine Wave
 82 Lead 2 (sawtooth)       Saw Wave                    Saw Wave
                                  +                      01  Saw
                                  +                      08  Doctor Solo
 83 Lead 3 (calliope)       Calliope                    Syn. Calliope
 84 Lead 4 (chiff)          Chiffer                     Chiffer Lead
 85 Lead 5 (charang)        Charang                     Charang
 86 Lead 6 (voice)          Solo Vox                    Solo Vox
 87 Lead 7 (fifths)         5th Saw Wave                5th Saw Wave
 88 Lead 8 (bass+lead)      Bass & Lead                 Bass & Lead    
 
SYNTH PAD (89-96)::
-------------------
 89 Pad 1 (new age)         Fantasy                     Fantasia
 90 Pad 2 (warm)            Warm                        Warm Pad
 91 Pad 3 (polysynth)       Polysynth                   Polysynth
 92 Pad 4 (choir)           Choir                       Space Voice
 93 Pad 5 (bowed)           Bowed                       Bowed Glass
 94 Pad 6 (metallic)        Metal                       Metal Pad
 95 Pad 7 (halo)            Halo                        Halo Pad
 96 Pad 8 (sweep)           Sweep                       Sweep Pad

SYNTH EFFECT (97-104)::
-----------------------
 97 FX 1 (rain)             Ice Rain                    Ice Rain
 98 FX 2 (soundtrack)       Sound Tracks                Soundtrack
 99 FX 3 (crystal)          Crystal                     Crystal
                                  +                      01  Syn Mallet
100 FX 4 (atmosphere)       Atmosphere                  Atmosphere
101 FX 5 (brightness)       Brightness                  Brightness
102 FX 6 (goblins)          Goblins                     Goblin
103 FX 7 (echoes)           Echoes                      Echo Drops
                                  +                      01  Echo Bell
                                  +                      02  Echo Pan 
104 FX 8 (sci-fi)           Space                       Star Theme 

ETHNIC (105-112)::
------------------
105 Sitar                   Sitar                       Sitar
                                  +                      01  Sitar 2
106 Banjo                   Banjo                       Banjo
107 Shamisen                Shamisen                    Shamisen
108 Koto                    Koto                        Koto
                                  +                      08  Taisho Koto
109 Kalimba                 Kalimba                     Kalimba
110 Bagpipe                 Bagpipe                     Bag pipe
111 Fiddle                  Fiddle                      Fiddle
112 Shanai                  Shanai                      Shanai

PERCUSSIVE (113-120)::
----------------------
113 Tinkle Bell             Tinkle Bell                 Tinkle Bell
114 Agogo                   Agogo                       Agogo
115 Steel Drums             Steel Drums                 Steel Drums
116 Woodblock               Woodblock                   Woodblock
                                  +                      08  Castanets
117 Taiko Drum              Taiko Drum                  Taiko
                                  +                      08  Concert BD
118 Melodic Tom             Melodic Tom                 Melo Tom 1
                                  +                      08  Melo Tom 2
119 Synth Drum              Synth Drum                  Synth Drum
                                  +                      08  808 Tom
                                  +                      09  Elec Perc
120 Reverse Cymbal          Reverse Cymbal              Reverse Cym.

SOUND EFFECTS (121-128)::
-------------------------
121 Guitar Fret Noise       Guitar Fret Noise           Gt. Fret Noise
                                  +                      01  Gt. Cut Noise
                                  +                      02  String Slap
122 Breath Noise            Breath Noise                Breath Noise
                                  +                      01  Fl. Key Click
123 Seashore                Seashore                    Seashore
                                  +                      01  Rain
                                  +                      02  Thunder
                                  +                      03  Wind
                                  +                      04  Stream
                                  +                      05  Bubble
124 Bird Tweet              Bird Tweet                  Bird
                                  +                      01  Dog
                                  +                      02  Horse-Gallop
                                  +                      03  Bird 2
125 Telephone Ring          Telephone Ring              Telephone 1
                                  +                       01  Telephone 2
                                  +                       02  Door Creaking
                                  +                       03  Door
                                  +                       04  Scratch
                                  +                       05  Windchime
126 Helicopter              Helicopter                   Helicopter
                                  +                       01  Car-Engine
                                  +                       02  Car-Stop
                                  +                       03  Car-Pass
                                  +                       04  Car-Crash
                                  +                       05  Siren
                                  +                       06  Train
                                  +                       07  Jetplane
                                  +                       08  Starship
                                  +                       09  Burst Noise
127 Applause                Applause                     Applause
                                  +                       01  Laughing
                                  +                       02  Screaming
                                  +                       03  Punch
                                  +                       04  Heartbeat
                                  +                       05 Footsteps
128 Gunshot                 Gunshot                      Gunshot
                                  +                       01  Machine Gun
                                  +                       02  Lasergun
                                  +                       03  Explosion

--------
    * NOTE on QTMI's "Guitar Fret Noise": ResEdit shows that this
        patch is "in" QTMI, but damned if I could ever get it to
        sound! I could only wish MY frets were that QUIET....
        [Update: I hear it in QT 3.0!]
        

II. -------- Drum Note Map #'s (GM/QTMI/GS-SC) --------

 
Shown below are the drum note "pitch" numbers for General MIDI & QTMI (#'s 35-81), and for the GS/SC-55mkII Standard Set (#27-87).
  ::::Notes::::
    1) As a reference point, pitch number 60 = C3.
    2) There seems to be no consistency, at least in the secondary sources, regarding the spelling of "high" vs. "hi," the use of hyphens (or not), the capitalization (or not) of compound names, etc.
    3) The QTMI names, as far as I can tell, are not appreciably different enough from GM to warrant any (semi-redundant) treatment, so I've just used a "+," to indicate a "ditto" relationship between GM & QTMI. (One source does label the QMTI bass drum (36) as "Kick" and the side stick(37) as "Rim Shot," but I'm beginning to assume that these are eccentrically misleading designations.) QTMI info was difficult to find, even with ResEdit, and for all I know, QTMI may be substituting drums as it does for the GM instruments....

Update: QT 3.0 now includes the full GS drum range, as well as the following GS kits: Room(8); Power(16); Electronic(24); TR-808 (Analog)(25); Brush(40); and Orchestra(48).

============================================================
Note #         GM              QTMI          GS/SC-55mkII
=======  ============         ======        ================
[87                             +             Open Surdo
[86                             +             Mute Surdo
[85                             +             Castanets
[84                             +             Bell Tree
[83                             +             Jingle Bell
[82                             +             Shaker
 81      Open Triangle          +             Open Triangle
 80      Mute Triangle          +             Mute Triangle
 79      Open Cuica             +             Open Cuica
 78      Mute Cuica             +             Mute Cuica
 77      Low Wood Block         +             Low Wood Block
 76      Hi Wood Block          +             High Wood Block
 75      Claves                 +             Claves
 74      Long Guiro             +             Long Guiro
 73      Short Guiro            +             Short Guiro
 72      Long Whistle           +             Long Low Whistle
 71      Short Whistle          +             Short Hi Whistle
 70      Maracas                +             Maracas
 69      Cabasa                 +             Cabasa
 68      Low Agogo              +             Low Agogo
 67      High Agogo             +             High Agogo
 66      Low Timbale            +             Low Timbale
 65      Hi Timbale             +             High Timbale
 64      Low Conga              +             Low Conga
 63      Open Hi Conga          +             Open High Conga
 62      Mute Hi Conga          +             Mute High Conga
 61      Low Bongo              +             Low Bongo
 60      Hi Bongo               +             High Bongo
 59      Ride Cymbal 2          +             Ride Cymbal2
 58      Vibraslap              +             Vibra-slap
 57      Crash Cymbal 2         +             Crash Cymbal2
 56      Cowbell                +             Cowbell
 55      Splash Cymbal          +             Splash Cymbal
 54      Tambourine             +             Tambourine
 53      Ride Bell              +             Ride Bell
 52      Chinese Cymbal         +             Chinese Cymbal
 51      Ride Cymbal 1          +             Ride Cymbal1
 50      High Tom               +             High Tom1
 49      Crash Cymbal 1         +             Crash Cymbal1
 48      Hi-Mid Tom             +             High Tom2
 47      Low-Mid Tom            +             Mid Tom1
 46      Open Hi-Hat            +             Open Hi-hat
 45      Low Tom                +             Mid Tom2
 44      Pedal Hi-Hat           +             Pedal Hi-hat
 43      High Floor Tom         +             Low Tom1
 42      Closed Hi-Hat          +             Closed Hi-hat
 41      Low Floor Tom          +             Low Tom2
 40      Electric Snare         +             Snare Drum2
 39      Hand Clap              +             Hand Clap
 38      Acoustic Snare         +             Snare Drum1
 37      Side Stick             +             Side Stick
 36      Bass Drum 1            +             Kick Drum1
 35      Acoustic Bass Drum     +             Kick Drum2
[34                             +             Metronome Bell
[33                             +             Metronome Click
[32                             +             Square Click
[31                             +             Sticks
[30                             +             Scratch Pull
[29                             +             Scratch Push
[28                             +             Slap
[27                             +             High Q
             
             

III. -------- MIDI Control Changes (CC), Etc. (GM/QTMI/GS-SC) --------

 
Here are the most common MIDI Control Change messages (and #'s), arranged in a chart that shows their _availability_ in GM, GS, and QTMI. (In terms of GM, however, a "YES" indicates that this controller is recommended/"required" by the GM standard and thus can be considered universal to all GM-compatible machines. But a GM module presumably can have many more features than these minimum standards require.) Note, too, that some controllers are used in conjunction with one or two others: these "sets" have been kept together, to the detriment of the numerical order.... Finally, polyphony, pitch bend, and channel pressure features are also listed, at table's end. . . .

================================================================
 Controller (#/Name)            GM       QTMI      GS: SC-55mkII
 ====================         ======    ======   ===============
  0/32  BANK SELECT             NO        YES         YES
 
  1  MODULATION                 YES       YES         YES

  7  VOLUME                     YES       YES         YES
 11  EXPRESSION                 YES       YES         YES

  8  BALANCE                    NO        NO          NO
 
 10  PANPOT                     YES       YES         YES

 64  HOLD PEDAL                 YES       YES         YES

 65  PORTAMENTO                 NO        YES         YES
  5  PORTAMENTO TIME            NO        YES         YES
 84  PORTAMENTO CONTROL         NO        YES         YES

 66  SUSTENUTO                  NO        NO          YES

 67  SOFT PEDAL                 NO        NO          YES

 68  LEGATO PEDAL               NO        NO          NO

 91  EFFECTS LEVEL 1            NO        YES->        YES (Reverb)

 93  EFFECTS LEVEL 3            NO        YES->        YES (Chorus)

 99/98  NRPN                    NO        NO*         YES
  6  DATA ENTRY                 NO        NO*         YES
 
101/100  RPN**                  YES       YES         YES
  6  DATA ENTRY                 YES       YES         YES
  
120  ALL SOUNDS OFF             NO        YES         YES

121  RESET ALL CONTROLLERS      YES       YES         YES

123  ALL NOTES OFF              YES       YES         YES

 POLYPHONY                      24        24          28
 PITCH BEND                     YES       YES         YES
 CHANNEL PRESSURE               YES       NO          YES

--------
      *  Now acknowledges GM & GS resets . . .
      ** Pitch Bend Sensitivity & Tuning stuff

 

 

----Corrections for me?----
tgannon2@unl.edu

 

 

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