# General MIDI programs in this release

Compose names a program with `gm:N`, the conventional 1-based General MIDI
number (`gm:1` is Acoustic Grand Piano, `gm:128` Gunshot), or with a quoted
name such as `"Electric Piano 1"`. The stored `gmProgram` is N − 1; the CLI's
`set-program` verb and `inspect --annotate` accept and print names, so the
off-by-one never has to be done by hand.

The current sound set layers twelve drum kits and forty melodic sampled
presets above MuseScore General 0.2.0, played through SpessaSynth. GM numbers
stay stable; the instrument picker also displays and searches the actual
sampled voice. Only requested layers download. A layer that is unavailable
falls back to the base bank.

## Current sampled voices

- Keys: gm:3 CP80 Electric Grand and gm:5 Wurlitzer EP200.
- Mallets: gm:12–15 VCSL Vibraphone, Marimba, Xylophone, and Tubular Bells.
- Guitars: gm:26 Shiny Steel, gm:27 Shiny Jazz, gm:28 Emily Clean, and
  gm:29–31 B&G Muted, Overdrive, and Distortion.
- Basses: gm:33 Meatbass Acoustic, gm:34 Black Fingered, and gm:35 Pasta Picked.
- Strings: gm:41–46 VSCO Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, Tremolo, and
  Pizzicato; gm:47 Etherealwinds Harp; gm:48 FreePats Timpani; gm:49–50 VSCO
  String Ensemble and Slow Strings.
- Brass: gm:57–62 VSCO Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Muted Trumpet, French Horn,
  and Brass Section.
- Reeds: gm:66–67 Weresax Alto and Tenor, gm:68 Bear Baritone Sax, and
  gm:69–72 VSCO Oboe, English Horn, Bassoon, and Clarinet.
- Pipes: gm:73 VSCO Piccolo and gm:74 Ixox Flute.

These are source identities, not a claim that one instrument suits every
part. Audition in the intended register: bass around C2, keys around C4,
and flute around C5. Pause playback to compare previews in the picker.

## Complete catalog and base-bank guidance

The marks below describe the earlier base-bank audit, not the forty sampled
overrides listed above. In the base bank, twenty-five presets were re-sampled
(the grand piano, FM electric piano, and synthesizer families); the other 103
came from FluidR3. The marks combine that provenance with the audit's judgment,
not measured quality. For an overridden program, use the current source above
and listen rather than carrying its old base-bank rating forward.

- `●` carries a loop on its own: the re-sampled presets and the strongest
  FluidR3 voices.
- `○` usable; pick it for color, doubling, or a specific idiom.
- `–` weak in this release: thin, harsh, or dated. Use sparingly or not at all.

Three habits matter more than the exact program: keep the bass at or below C3,
voice chords at or above C4, and give pads and leads a `cut` below 8,000 so
the 200 Hz to 20 kHz low-pass takes the fizz off the top. Delay and reverb
sends belong on keys, pads, and leads, not on kick or bass.

| gm: | Program | Family | Mark | Note |
| ---: | --- | --- | :---: | --- |
| 1 | Acoustic Grand Piano | Piano | ● | re-sampled grand; the default for chords and comping |
| 2 | Bright Acoustic Piano | Piano | ○ |  |
| 3 | Electric Grand Piano | Piano | ○ |  |
| 4 | Honky-tonk Piano | Piano | ○ |  |
| 5 | Electric Piano 1 | Piano | ● | the loop keys: warm chords, works with rev 2,000 to 3,000 |
| 6 | Electric Piano 2 | Piano | ● | FM electric piano; brighter, good for stabs and arpeggios |
| 7 | Harpsichord | Piano | ○ |  |
| 8 | Clavinet | Piano | ○ |  |
| 9 | Celesta | Chromatic Percussion | ○ |  |
| 10 | Glockenspiel | Chromatic Percussion | ○ |  |
| 11 | Music Box | Chromatic Percussion | ○ |  |
| 12 | Vibraphone | Chromatic Percussion | ○ |  |
| 13 | Marimba | Chromatic Percussion | ○ |  |
| 14 | Xylophone | Chromatic Percussion | ○ |  |
| 15 | Tubular Bells | Chromatic Percussion | ○ |  |
| 16 | Dulcimer | Chromatic Percussion | ○ |  |
| 17 | Drawbar Organ | Organ | ○ |  |
| 18 | Percussive Organ | Organ | ○ |  |
| 19 | Rock Organ | Organ | ○ |  |
| 20 | Church Organ | Organ | ○ |  |
| 21 | Reed Organ | Organ | ○ |  |
| 22 | Accordion | Organ | ○ |  |
| 23 | Harmonica | Organ | ○ |  |
| 24 | Tango Accordion | Organ | ○ |  |
| 25 | Acoustic Guitar (nylon) | Guitar | ○ |  |
| 26 | Acoustic Guitar (steel) | Guitar | ○ |  |
| 27 | Electric Guitar (jazz) | Guitar | ○ |  |
| 28 | Electric Guitar (clean) | Guitar | ○ |  |
| 29 | Electric Guitar (muted) | Guitar | ○ |  |
| 30 | Overdriven Guitar | Guitar | – | older mono sample; harsh above C5 |
| 31 | Distortion Guitar | Guitar | – | older mono sample; reads as noise in a mix |
| 32 | Guitar Harmonics | Guitar | – |  |
| 33 | Acoustic Bass | Bass | ○ |  |
| 34 | Electric Bass (finger) | Bass | ● | the default bass; keep at or below C3 |
| 35 | Electric Bass (pick) | Bass | ● | picked bass; use for busier lines |
| 36 | Fretless Bass | Bass | ○ |  |
| 37 | Slap Bass 1 | Bass | ○ |  |
| 38 | Slap Bass 2 | Bass | ○ |  |
| 39 | Synth Bass 1 | Bass | ● | synth bass with a filter edge; house, half-time, breakbeat |
| 40 | Synth Bass 2 | Bass | ● | rounder synth bass; long notes and sub lines |
| 41 | Violin | Strings | – | solo strings are thin; prefer 48 or 49 |
| 42 | Viola | Strings | – |  |
| 43 | Cello | Strings | – |  |
| 44 | Contrabass | Strings | – |  |
| 45 | Tremolo Strings | Strings | ○ |  |
| 46 | Pizzicato Strings | Strings | ○ |  |
| 47 | Orchestral Harp | Strings | ○ |  |
| 48 | Timpani | Strings | ○ |  |
| 49 | String Ensemble 1 | Ensemble | ● | sustained string bed; strings above C4, dry or rev 3,000 |
| 50 | String Ensemble 2 | Ensemble | ● | slower attack than gm:49; pads under a lead |
| 51 | Synth Strings 1 | Ensemble | ● | synth strings; house and half-time beds |
| 52 | Synth Strings 2 | Ensemble | ○ |  |
| 53 | Choir Aahs | Ensemble | – | choir is mono and dated; use as a faint layer only |
| 54 | Voice Oohs | Ensemble | – |  |
| 55 | Synth Voice | Ensemble | – |  |
| 56 | Orchestra Hit | Ensemble | ○ |  |
| 57 | Trumpet | Brass | ○ | trumpet is usable for single-line hooks |
| 58 | Trombone | Brass | – | trombone is weak; prefer gm:62 Brass Section |
| 59 | Tuba | Brass | ○ |  |
| 60 | Muted Trumpet | Brass | ○ |  |
| 61 | French Horn | Brass | – | French horn is weak; prefer gm:62 Brass Section |
| 62 | Brass Section | Brass | ○ | brass section; stabs and swells |
| 63 | Synth Brass 1 | Brass | ● | synth brass stabs; short notes on the offbeats |
| 64 | Synth Brass 2 | Brass | ○ |  |
| 65 | Soprano Sax | Reed | – | saxophones are the weakest family; avoid as a lead |
| 66 | Alto Sax | Reed | – |  |
| 67 | Tenor Sax | Reed | – |  |
| 68 | Baritone Sax | Reed | – |  |
| 69 | Oboe | Reed | ○ |  |
| 70 | English Horn | Reed | ○ |  |
| 71 | Bassoon | Reed | ○ |  |
| 72 | Clarinet | Reed | ○ |  |
| 73 | Piccolo | Pipe | ○ |  |
| 74 | Flute | Pipe | ○ | flute is fine for a soft lead |
| 75 | Recorder | Pipe | ○ |  |
| 76 | Pan Flute | Pipe | ○ |  |
| 77 | Blown Bottle | Pipe | ○ |  |
| 78 | Shakuhachi | Pipe | ○ |  |
| 79 | Whistle | Pipe | ○ |  |
| 80 | Ocarina | Pipe | ○ |  |
| 81 | Lead 1 (square) | Synth Lead | ○ | square lead; keep cut under 8,000 and notes short |
| 82 | Lead 2 (sawtooth) | Synth Lead | ○ | saw lead; the usual lead choice, filtered |
| 83 | Lead 3 (calliope) | Synth Lead | ○ |  |
| 84 | Lead 4 (chiff) | Synth Lead | ○ |  |
| 85 | Lead 5 (charang) | Synth Lead | ○ |  |
| 86 | Lead 6 (voice) | Synth Lead | ○ |  |
| 87 | Lead 7 (fifths) | Synth Lead | ○ |  |
| 88 | Lead 8 (bass + lead) | Synth Lead | ○ |  |
| 89 | Pad 1 (new age) | Synth Pad | ● | the pad family starts here; cut 5,000 to 7,000 keeps it out of the bass |
| 90 | Pad 2 (warm) | Synth Pad | ● | warm pad; the safest bed in the set |
| 91 | Pad 3 (polysynth) | Synth Pad | ● |  |
| 92 | Pad 4 (choir) | Synth Pad | ● |  |
| 93 | Pad 5 (bowed) | Synth Pad | ● |  |
| 94 | Pad 6 (metallic) | Synth Pad | ● |  |
| 95 | Pad 7 (halo) | Synth Pad | ● |  |
| 96 | Pad 8 (sweep) | Synth Pad | ● |  |
| 97 | FX 1 (rain) | Synth Effects | ○ |  |
| 98 | FX 2 (soundtrack) | Synth Effects | ○ |  |
| 99 | FX 3 (crystal) | Synth Effects | ○ |  |
| 100 | FX 4 (atmosphere) | Synth Effects | ○ |  |
| 101 | FX 5 (brightness) | Synth Effects | ○ |  |
| 102 | FX 6 (goblins) | Synth Effects | ○ |  |
| 103 | FX 7 (echoes) | Synth Effects | ○ |  |
| 104 | FX 8 (sci-fi) | Synth Effects | ○ |  |
| 105 | Sitar | World | ○ |  |
| 106 | Banjo | World | ○ |  |
| 107 | Shamisen | World | ○ |  |
| 108 | Koto | World | ○ |  |
| 109 | Kalimba | World | ○ |  |
| 110 | Bag Pipe | World | ○ |  |
| 111 | Fiddle | World | ○ |  |
| 112 | Shanai | World | ○ |  |
| 113 | Tinkle Bell | Percussive | ○ |  |
| 114 | Agogo | Percussive | ○ |  |
| 115 | Steel Drums | Percussive | ○ | steel drums; a color for breakbeat and house |
| 116 | Woodblock | Percussive | ○ |  |
| 117 | Taiko Drum | Percussive | ○ |  |
| 118 | Melodic Tom | Percussive | ○ |  |
| 119 | Synth Drum | Percussive | ○ |  |
| 120 | Reverse Cymbal | Percussive | ○ |  |
| 121 | Guitar Fret Noise | Sound Effects | – | sound effects rarely help a loop |
| 122 | Breath Noise | Sound Effects | – |  |
| 123 | Seashore | Sound Effects | – |  |
| 124 | Bird Tweet | Sound Effects | – |  |
| 125 | Telephone Ring | Sound Effects | – |  |
| 126 | Helicopter | Sound Effects | – |  |
| 127 | Applause | Sound Effects | – |  |
| 128 | Gunshot | Sound Effects | – |  |

## Choosing by role

| Role | First choice | Alternatives |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bass | gm:34 Electric Bass (finger) | gm:39 Synth Bass 1 (house, half-time), gm:40 Synth Bass 2 (sub lines), gm:33 Acoustic Bass (jazz) |
| Chords | gm:5 Electric Piano 1 | gm:1 Acoustic Grand (pop, jazz), gm:17 Drawbar Organ (gospel, house), gm:90 Pad 2 (warm) |
| Pad | gm:90 Pad 2 (warm) | gm:89 Pad 1 (new age), gm:92 Pad 4 (choir), gm:51 Synth Strings 1 |
| Strings | gm:49 String Ensemble 1 | gm:50 String Ensemble 2, gm:45 Tremolo Strings, gm:46 Pizzicato Strings |
| Lead | gm:82 Lead 2 (sawtooth) with cut 4,000 to 7,000 | gm:81 Lead 1 (square), gm:74 Flute, gm:57 Trumpet |
| Stabs | gm:63 Synth Brass 1 | gm:62 Brass Section, gm:6 Electric Piano 2 |
| Color | gm:12 Vibraphone, gm:47 Orchestral Harp, gm:109 Kalimba, gm:115 Steel Drums | gm:105 Sitar, gm:14 Xylophone |