General MIDI Instrument List (all 128 programs)
The complete General MIDI Level 1 instrument map — program numbers 1–128 and their families. Numbers here are 1-based (as shown in most DAWs); subtract 1 for the raw MIDI program-change value (0–127).
| Program | Instrument | Family |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acoustic Grand Piano | Piano |
| 2 | Bright Acoustic Piano | Piano |
| 3 | Electric Grand Piano | Piano |
| 4 | Honky-tonk Piano | Piano |
| 5 | Electric Piano 1 | Piano |
| 6 | Electric Piano 2 | Piano |
| 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 |
| 31 | Distortion Guitar | Guitar |
| 32 | Guitar Harmonics | Guitar |
| 33 | Acoustic Bass | Bass |
| 34 | Electric Bass (finger) | Bass |
| 35 | Electric Bass (pick) | Bass |
| 36 | Fretless Bass | Bass |
| 37 | Slap Bass 1 | Bass |
| 38 | Slap Bass 2 | Bass |
| 39 | Synth Bass 1 | Bass |
| 40 | Synth Bass 2 | Bass |
| 41 | Violin | Strings |
| 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 |
| 50 | String Ensemble 2 | Ensemble |
| 51 | Synth Strings 1 | Ensemble |
| 52 | Synth Strings 2 | Ensemble |
| 53 | Choir Aahs | Ensemble |
| 54 | Voice Oohs | Ensemble |
| 55 | Synth Voice | Ensemble |
| 56 | Orchestra Hit | Ensemble |
| 57 | Trumpet | Brass |
| 58 | Trombone | Brass |
| 59 | Tuba | Brass |
| 60 | Muted Trumpet | Brass |
| 61 | French Horn | Brass |
| 62 | Brass Section | Brass |
| 63 | Synth Brass 1 | Brass |
| 64 | Synth Brass 2 | Brass |
| 65 | Soprano Sax | Reed |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 82 | Lead 2 (sawtooth) | Synth Lead |
| 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 |
| 90 | Pad 2 (warm) | Synth Pad |
| 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 | Ethnic |
| 106 | Banjo | Ethnic |
| 107 | Shamisen | Ethnic |
| 108 | Koto | Ethnic |
| 109 | Kalimba | Ethnic |
| 110 | Bagpipe | Ethnic |
| 111 | Fiddle | Ethnic |
| 112 | Shanai | Ethnic |
| 113 | Tinkle Bell | Percussive |
| 114 | Agogo | Percussive |
| 115 | Steel Drums | Percussive |
| 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 |
| 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 |
How to read this
General MIDI defines 128 program numbers so that a file plays back recognisably on any compliant device. Programs are grouped into 16 families of 8, in a fixed order — pianos, chromatic percussion, organs, guitars, basses, strings, ensemble, brass, reed, pipe, synth lead, synth pad, synth effects, ethnic, percussive, sound effects.
Program numbers are sent as Program Change messages and are 0–127 in the protocol, though many DAWs display them as 1–128.
Notes & gotchas
- Off-by-one is the standard trap. Program 0 is Acoustic Grand Piano; if your display starts at 1, every number shifts.
- GM guarantees category, not quality. Program 48 is a string ensemble on every device and sounds wildly different on each.
- Bank Select (CC0 and CC32) reaches beyond 128 sounds on devices that have them — Program Change alone cannot.
- GM2 and GS/XG extend the set. A plain GM file is the portable option; anything richer trades compatibility for sound.
- Channel 10 is exempt — it is percussion, and program numbers there select kits rather than instruments.