::|CONTENTS
- Patch List (channels 1-16 excluding 10)
- Patch List (channel 10 only)
- Sub-Patch List (GS Wavetable only)
When composing for different sound modules outside of the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth (the expected rendering module for the
MIDI format), one thing that you will notice is that more often than not there will be differences between timbre assignments, particularly when a sound module was built prior to the creation of the MIDI standard. This article will cover the differences between the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth and the Roland MT-32 (which can be emulated via
Munt), particularly as a demonstration of what sounds one module can do that the other cannot, as well as showing proof that a General MIDI submission is incompatible with the MT-32 (and vice versa) without extra modification.
The patch list will follow this format and will be broken every 8 patches for easier organization:
Patch #
GS Wavetable
Roland MT-32
GS Category
MT-32 Category/Categories
1
GS Patch Name
MT-32 Patch Name (# of partials*)
*A partial is the amount of layering one patch has; more partials more often than not leads to a more luscious timbre at the expense of polyphony
Patch List (channels 1-16 excluding 10)
Patch #
GS Wavetable
Roland MT-32
Piano
Piano
1
Acoustic Grand Piano*
Acoustic Piano 1 (4)
2
Bright Acoustic Piano*
Acoustic Piano 2 (2)
3
Electric Grand Piano*
Acoustic Piano 3 (1)
4
Honky-tonk Piano*
Electric Piano 1 (3)
5
Electric Piano 1*
Electric Piano 2 (2)
6
Electric Piano 2*
Electric Piano 3 (2)
7
Harpsichord*
Electric Piano 4 (1)
8
Clavi
Honkytonk (3)
Chromatic Percussion
Organ
9
Celesta
Electric Organ 1 (3)
10
Glockenspiel
Electric Organ 2 (3)
11
Music Box
Electric Organ 3 (2)
12
Vibraphone*
Pipe Organ 1 (2)
13
Marimba*
Pipe Organ 2 (3)
14
Xylophone
Pipe Organ 3 (3)
15
Tubular Bells*
Pipe Organ 4 (2)
16
Dulcimer
Accordion (2)
Organ
Keyboard
17
Drawbar Organ*
Harpsichord 1 (4)
18
Percussive Organ*
Harpsichord 2 (2)
19
Rock Organ
Harpsichord 3 (1)
20
Church Organ*
Clavi 1 (3)
21
Reed Organ
Clavi 2 (2)
22
Accordion*
Clavi 3 (1)
23
Harmonica
Celesta 1 (4)
24
Tango Accordion
Celesta 2 (2)
Guitar
Synth Brass and Bass
25
Acoustic Guitar (nylon)*
Synth Brass 1 (2)
26
Acoustic Guitar (steel)*
Synth Brass 2 (3)
27
Electric Guitar (jazz)*
Synth Brass 3 (2)
28
Electric Guitar (clean)*
Synth Brass 4 (2)
29
Electric Guitar (muted)*
Synth Bass 1 (2)
30
Overdriven Guitar
Synth Bass 2 (2)
31
Distortion Guitar*
Synth Bass 3 (2)
32
Guitar Harmonics*
Synth Bass 4 (1)
Bass
Synth 1
33
Acoustic Bass
Fantasy (3)
34
Electric Bass (finger)
Harmonic Pan (3)
35
Electric Bass (pick)
Chorale (3)
36
Fretless Bass
Glasses (2)
37
Slap Bass 1
Soundtrack (4)
38
Slap Bass 2
Atmosphere (4)
39
Synth Bass 1*
Warm Bells (4)
40
Synth Bass 2*
Funny Vox (1)
Strings
Synth 2
41
Violin*
Echo Bell (3)
42
Viola
Ice Rain (3)
43
Cello
Oboe 2001 (2)
44
Contrabass
Echo Pan (2)
45
Tremolo Strings
Doctor Solo (2)
46
Pizzicato Strings
Schooldaze (2)
47
Orchestral Harp
Bellsinger (2)
48
Timpani
Square Wave (2)
Ensemble
Strings
49
String Ensemble 1*
String Section 1 (4)
50
String Ensemble 2
String Section 2 (3)
51
SynthStrings 1*
String Section 3 (2)
52
SynthStrings 2
Pizzicato (3)
53
Choir Aahs*
Violin 1 (3)
54
Voice Oohs
Violin 2 (2)
55
Synth Voice
Cello 1 (3)
56
Orchestra Hit
Cello 2 (2)
Brass
Strings (ct'd) and Guitar
57
Trumpet
Contrabass (2)
58
Trombone*
Harp 1 (3)
59
Tuba
Harp 2 (2)
60
Muted Trumpet
Guitar 1 (2)
61
French Horn*
Guitar 2 (2)
62
Brass Section*
Electric Guitar 1 (4)
63
SynthBrass 1*
Electric Guitar 2 (3)
64
SynthBrass 2*
Sitar (4)
Reed
Bass
65
Soprano Sax
Acoustic Bass 1 (2)
66
Alto Sax
Acoustic Bass 2 (1)
67
Tenor Sax
Electric Bass 1 (2)
68
Baritone Sax
Electric Bass 2 (1)
69
Oboe
Slap Bass 1 (3)
70
English Horn
Slap Bass 2 (2)
71
Bassoon
Fretless 1 (4)
72
Clarinet
Fretless 2 (2)
Pipe
Wind 1 and 2
73
Piccolo
Flute 1 (4)
74
Flute
Flute 2 (2)
75
Recorder
Piccolo 1 (3)
76
Pan Flute
Piccolo 2 (2)
77
Blown Bottle
Recorder (2)
78
Shakuhachi
Pan Pipes (3)
79
Whistle
Saxophone 1 (4)
80
Ocarina
Saxophone 2 (3)
Synth Lead
Wind 2 (ct'd)
81
Lead 1 (square)*
Saxophone 3 (2)
82
Lead 2 (sawtooth)*
Saxophone 4 (1)
83
Lead 3 (calliope)
Clarinet 1 (3)
84
Lead 4 (chiff)
Clarinet 2 (2)
85
Lead 5 (charang)
Oboe (2)
86
Lead 6 (voice)
English Horn (2)
87
Lead 7 (fifths)
Bassoon (2)
88
Lead 8 (bass + lead)
Harmonica (2)
Synth Pad
Brass
89
Pad 1 (new age)
Trumpet 1 (3)
90
Pad 2 (warm)
Trumpet 2 (2)
91
Pad 3 (polysynth)
Trombone 1 (3)
92
Pad 4 (choir)
Trombone 2 (2)
93
Pad 5 (bowed)
French Horn 1 (3)
94
Pad 6 (metallic)
French Horn 2 (2)
95
Pad 7 (halo)
Tuba (2)
96
Pad 8 (sweep)
Brass Section 1 (4)
Synth Effects
Brass (ct'd) and Mallet
97
FX 1 (rain)
Brass Section 2 (3)
98
FX 2 (soundtrack)
Vibraphone 1 (3)
99
FX 3 (crystal)*
Vibraphone 2 (2)
100
FX 4 (atmosphere)
Synth Mallet (1)
101
FX 5 (brightness)
Wind Bell (3)
102
FX 6 (goblins)
Glockenspiel (2)
103
FX 7 (echoes)*
Tube Bell (4)
104
FX 8 (sci-fi)
Xylophone (1)
Ethnic
Mallet (ct'd) and Special
105
Sitar*
Marimba (3)
106
Banjo
Koto (2)
107
Shamisen
Sho (4)
108
Koto*
Shakuhachi (4)
109
Kalimba
Whistle 1 (2)
110
Bag Pipe
Whistle 2 (1)
111
Fiddle
Bottleblow (4)
112
Shanai
Breathpipe (3)
Percussive
Percussion
113
Tinkle Bell
Timpani (2)
114
Agogo
Melodic Tom (1)
115
Steel Drums
Deep Snare (2)
116
Woodblock*
Electric Percussion 1 (2)
117
Taiko Drum*
Electric Percussion 2 (2)
118
Melodic Tom*
Taiko (3)
119
Synth Drum*
Taiko Rim (1)
120
Reverse Cymbal
Cymbal (2)
Sound Effects
Percussion (ct'd) and Effects
121
Guitar Fret Noise*
Castanets (2)
122
Breath Noise*
Triangle (2)
123
Seashore*
Orchestra Hit (4)
124
Bird Tweet*
Telephone (1)
125
Telephone Ring*
Bird Tweet (1)
126
Helicopter*
One Note Jam (4)
127
Applause*
Water Bells (3)
128
Gunshot*
Jungle Tune (4)
*Has additional sub-patches on different banks
Patch List (channel 10 only)
Patch #
GS Wavetable
1
Standard
9
Room
17
Power
25
Electronic
26
TR-808
33
Jazz
41
Brush
49
Orchestra
57
SFX
*Roland MT-32 only has one drum patch
Sub-Patch List (GS Wavetable only)
Patch #
Patch Name
MSB
Notes
Piano ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1
Acoustic Grand Piano
8
16
Dampened sound
2
Bright Acoustic Piano
8
3
Electric Grand Piano
8
4
Honky-tonk Piano
8
5
Electric Piano 1
8
Has a brief detune effect
16
0 MSB w/ quicker decay
24
60s sounding Electric Piano
6
Electric Piano 2
8
Has a detune effect
16
0 MSB w/ slower decay
7
Harpsichord
8
Subtly dampened
16
24
Subtly softer sounding
Chromatic Percussion ----------------------------------------------------------------------
12
Vibraphone
8
13
Marimba
8
15
Tubular Bells
8
0 MSB w/ much slower decay
9
Organ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17
Drawbar Organ
8
Has a detune effect
16
Octave higher, slightly brighter
32
18
Percussive Organ
8
32
Slightly punchier Drawbar
20
Church Organ
8
16
Slightly airier
22
Accordion
8
Slightly airier
Guitar ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25
Acoustic Guitar (nylon)
8
Becomes a ukulele
16
32
Slightly louder
26
Acoustic Guitar (steel)
8
Becomes a 12-string guitar
16
Becomes a mandolin
27
Electric Guitar (jazz)
8
Becomes a Hawaiian guitar
28
Electric Guitar (clean)
8
0 MSB w/ slower decay
29
Electric Guitar (muted)
8
Less plucky funk guitar
16
Slightly quieter
31
Distortion Guitar
8
32
Guitar Harmonics
8
Feedback (or fading sine)
Bass -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
39
Synth Bass 1
1
Dampened, minimal decay
8
Slighly twangier
40
Synth Bass 2
8
Basically Synth Bass 1
16
More dampened, minimal decay
Strings --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
41
Violin
8
0 MSB w/ brief attack
Ensemble -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
49
String Ensemble 1
8
0 MSB w/ quicker attack
51
SynthStrings 1
8
Brighter, minimal attack
53
Choir Aahs
32
Brass ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
58
Trombone
1
Smoother and airier
61
French Horn
1
Slightly muted
62
Brass Section
8
63
SynthBrass 1
8
Minimal attack and decay
16
0 MSB w/ minimal decay
64
SynthBrass 2
8
More stringy timbre
16
Muted, yet more pronounced
Synth Lead ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
81
Lead 1 (square)
1
Stand-alone square wave
8
Stand-alone sine wave
82
Lead 2 (sawtooth)
1
Stand-alone saw wave
8
Softer layered saws
Synth Effects --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
99
FX 3 (crystal)
1
Soft, piano-like timbre
103
FX 7 (echoes)
1
Brass-like timbre
2
Brass-like timbre w/ decay
Ethnic ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
105
Sitar
1
0 MSB w/ slight portamento
108
Koto
8
Softer, decays more pronounced
Percussive -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
116
Woodblock
8
Becomes castanets
117
Taiko Drum
8
Becomes a concert bass drum
118
Melodic Tom
8
Slightly pitched down
119
Synth Drum
8
Becomes a TR-808
9
Punchier drum sounds
Sound Effects --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
121
Guitar Fret Noise
1
Becomes a guitar cut
2
Becomes a guitar string slap
122
Breath Noise
1
Clickity clack clack
123
Seashore
1
It's raining! It's pouring!
2
THUNDERSHOCK
3
A nice, dark breeze a-blowin
4
That's quite a loud creek
5
Memories of blowing into drink
124
Bird Tweet
1
BARK BARK BARK
2
The cavalry coming by horse!
3
A single chirp
125
Telephone Ring
1
A digital ring ring ring
2
A very loud door creak
3
Way to slam the door, kiddo
4
The sound of scratching
5
Chimes blowing in the wind
126
Helicopter
1
Startin' your engines
2
Skiddin' to a halt in your car
3
Cars zoomin' by everyday
4
A puny car accident
5
Ambulance comin' through!
6
A humble train comin' through
7
A jet plane passin' by up above
8
A starship casually passing by
9
Can't get a signal...
127
Applause
1
A-HA-HA-HA-HA...
2
AAAAAAAH
3
PAWNCH
4
The sound of your heart
5
Footsteps knockin'...
128
Gunshot
1
YATATATATATATATATATATATA
2
PEW PEW PEW
3
A puny KABOOM
*Bolded denotes the default patch when the MSB is not defined
