General MIDI Patch Map


The names of the instruments indicate what sort of sound will be heard when that instrument number (MIDI Program Change or “PC#”) is selected on the GM synthesizer.

These sounds are the same for all MIDI channels except channel 10, which has only percussion sounds and some sound effects.

General MIDI Instrument Families

The General MIDI instrument sounds are grouped by families. In each family are 8 specific instruments.

PC# Family PC# Family
1-8 Piano 65-72 Reed
9-16 Chromatic Percussion 73-80 Pipe
17-24 Organ 81-88 Synth Lead
25-32 Guitar 89-96 Synth Pad
33-40 Bass 97-104 Synth Effects
41-48 Strings 105-112 Ethnic
49-56 Ensemble 113-120 Percussive
57-64 Brass 121-128 Sound Effects

General MIDI Patch Map

While GM does not define the actual characteristics of any sounds, the names in parentheses after each of the synth leads, pads, and sound effects are, in particular, are intended only as guides.

PC# Instrument PC# Instrument PC# Instrument
1 Acoustic Grand Piano 44 Contrabass 87 Lead 7 (fifths)
2 Bright Acoustic Piano 45 Tremolo Strings 88 Lead 8 (bass+lead)
3 Electric Grand Piano 46 Pizzicato Strings 89 Pad 1 (new age)
4 Honky-tonk Piano 47 Orchestral Harp 90 Pad 2 (warm)
5 Electric Piano 1 48 Timpani 91 Pad 3 (polysynth)
6 Electric Piano 2 49 String Ensemble 1 92 Pad 4 (choir)
7 Harpsichord 50 String Ensemble 2 93 Pad 5 (bowed)
8 Clavinet 51 Synth Strings 1 94 Pad 6 (metallic)
9 Celesta 52 Synth Strings 2 95 Pad 7 (halo)
10 Glockenspiel 53 Choir Aahs 96 Pad 8 (sweep)
11 Music Box 54 Voice Oohs 97 FX 1 (train)
12 Vibraphone 55 Synth Voice 98 FX 2 (soundtrack)
13 Marimba 56 Orchestra Hit 99 FX 3 (crystal)
14 Xylophone 57 Trumpet 100 FX 4 (atmosphere)
15 Tubular Bells 58 Trombone 101 FX 5 (brightness)
16 Dulcimer 59 Tuba 102 FX 6 (goblins)
17 Drawbar Organ 60 Muted Trumpet 103 FX 7 (echoes)
18 Percussive Organ 61 French Horn 104 FX 8 (sci-fi)
19 Rock Organ 62 Brass Section 105 Sitar
20 Church Organ 63 Synth Brass 1 106 Banjo
21 Reed Organ 64 Synth Brass 2 107 Shamisen
22 Accordion 65 Soprano Sax 108 Koto
23 Harmonica 66 Alto Sax 109 Kalimba
24 Tango Accordion 67 Tenor Sax 110 Bagpipe
25 Acoustic Guitar (nylon) 68 Baritone Sax 111 Fiddle
26 Acoustic Guitar (steel) 69 Oboe 112 Shanai
27 Electric Guitar (jazz) 70 English Horn 113 Tinkle Bell
28 Electric Guitar (clean) 71 Bassoon 114 Agogo
29 Electric Guitar (muted) 72 Clarinet 115 Steel Drums
30 Overdriven Guitar 73 Piccolo 116 Woodblock
31 Distortion Guitar 74 Flute 117 Tailo Drum
32 Guitar Harmonics 75 Recorder 118 Melodic Drum
33 Acoustic Bass 76 Pan Flute 119 Synth Drum
34 Electric Bass (finger) 77 Blown Bottle 120 Reverse Cymbal
35 Electric Bass (pick) 78 Shakuhachi 121 Guitar Fret Noise
36 Fretless Bass 79 Whistle 122 Breath Noise
37 Slap Bass 1 80 Ocarina 123 Seashore
38 Slap Bass 2 81 Lead 1 (square) 124 Bird Tweet
39 Synth Bass 182 Lead 2 (sawtooth) 125 Telephone Ring
40 Synth Bass 2 83 Lead 3 (calliope) 126 Helicopter
41 Violin 84 Lead 4 (chiff) 127 Applause
42 Viola 85 Lead 5 (charang) 128 Gunshot
43 Cello 86 Lead 6 (voice)