Comparison of MIDI standards

This table provides summary of comparison of various MIDI enhancement standards by various parameters.

MT-32 GM GS XG level 1 XG level 2 XG level 3 GM level 2
Entry date 1987 1991 1991 1994 1997 1998 1999
Organization Roland MMA Roland Yamaha MMA
Minimum equipment requirements
Simultaneous melodic voices 8 or more (up to 32 partials) combined 16 16 32 combined 64 combined 128 combined 16
Simultaneous percussion voices 8 8 16
MIDI melodic channels 8 15 15[1] 16 combined 32 combined (on 2 ports) 64 combined (on 4 ports) 14
Rhythm/percussion channels 1 1 (#10) 1 2 (#10 & #11)
Channel recommendations #1: melody; #2: melody (duet); #3: bass; #4: pad; #5: riff; #10: drums[2]
Sounds banks available
Melodic instruments 128 128 226 480 1074 1149 256
Drum kits 1 1 8 + 1 SFX kit 9 + 2 SFX kits 34 + 2 SFX kits 35 + 2 SFX kits 9
Drum sounds per kit 30 47 61 72 61
Controls available
Special CC[3] 2[4] 6 (MT32+4) 6 (GM)
Parametric effect CC[5] 4[4] 5 16 (GM+11) 51 (GM+46) 12 (GM+7)
RPNs 0[4] 5[6] 6 (GM+1) [6]
SysEx messages 2 14

References

  1. ↑ 16 with no drum kit.
  2. ↑ TheWhippinpost article on MIDI XG STANDARD
  3. ↑ Special CCs are CCs that don't correspond to the parameter of any particular effect. Most usually they represent special one-shot control commands for the device (these ones are usually represented by a button on a console), or used internally for bank selection, RPN or data entry, etc.
  4. 1 2 3 youngmonkey Roland MT-32 MIDI/SYSEX reference
  5. ↑ Parametric CCs (also known as continuous controller) correspond to the parameter of some particular effect (i.e. depth, strength, delay of effect, etc). Such CCs are usually represented by a rotating knob or fader in mixers.
  6. 1 2 MMA MIDI Message Tables: Table 3a: Registered Parameter Numbers
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