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XML Import/Export: Instrument Categories

Table of valid category indentifiers for use in XML documents.

The table below lists the currently valid instrument categories that may be used in XML files for sound bank definitions. This category tree is by no means intended to be a comprehensive taxonomy of musical instruments. It's just a coarse classification of popular sounds available for standard MIDI equipment, roughly following the General MIDI instrument classes.

An instrument may be assigned to any category symbol (e.g. 'String', or 'StringEnsemble'), regardless of its nesting level in the tree. However, it is recommended to use the most specific category possible for each sound. The better a category assignment is, the better a sound can be replaced for a similar sound automatically. This ensures that an arrangment may be played in different studio environments, on different MIDI devices, without re-assigning sounds manually.

Sound Category Remarks
Root This category holds all sounds which have not yet been classified (default for new sounds)
  Piano Generic Piano Sounds
    PianoAcoustic  
    PianoElectric Incl. Rhodes
    Clav Incl. historical instruments
  Organ  
    OrganChurch  
    Accordian This is possibly a strange classification, however, the instrument doesn't actually fit anywhere else
  String Generic Strings (no guitars)
    StringEnsemble  
    StringPizzicato  
    Violin  
    Cello  
    Contrabass  
    SynthString Synth sounds which are meant to imitate a "string" feel (see also: synthPad)
  Bass Put all generic bass sounds here
    BassAcoustic  
    BassElectric  
    SynthBass Synth sounds you like to play in bass voice - not necessarily a genuine "bass"
  Guitar Generic guitar sounds
    GuitarAcoustic  
      Guitar12string  
      GuitarSteel  
      GuitarNylon  
    GuitarElectric  
      GuitarElectricClean  
      GuitarElectricDistorted  
    Banjo  
  Brass Generic brass sounds (includes ensembles)
    Sax  
    Trumpet  
    Horn  
    Trombone  
    Tuba  
    SynthBrass Synth sounds which resemble a "brass" feel
  Woodwinds Generic woodwinds
    Flute All kinds of flutes (not restricted to wooden instruments)
    Recorder  
    Oboe  
    Clarinet  
    Bassoon  
  Voice Human voice and all instruments imitating it
  Synth Generic synth sounds
    SynthLead Sounds you like to play as a solo lead
    SynthPad Sounds you like to play as sustained chords
      SynthPadSlow dito., but with rather slow attack and evolving volume
    SynthBleep Techno-like sounds for paced sequencing
    SynthSoundscape  
  Percussion  
    PercussionPitched e.g. Marimbas or Xylophone
    PercussionUnpitched  
  Drums Generic (individual) drum sounds
    Drumkit Mapped drum kits (usually General MIDI)
    SynthDrums Percussive instruments with a synthetic sound
  Effects Noise and special effects
  Ether This is a rather generic category for everything else
    Harp  
    Sitar  



--
2006-07-22

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