An Introduction To

version 1.02HM
March 3, 1995

Yamaha Corporation of America, CBX Group,

P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622
Introduction

For more than a decade, MIDI has provided musicians with a powerful set of
tools, forever changing the way we create and listen to music. MIDI has proven
to be a durable standard and has undergone relatively few refinements through
the years. But the original specification provided few exact guidelines as to how
these tools should be used. This has proven to be a double-edged sword—on the
one hand, manufacturers have had the freedom to implement MIDI in a variety
of unique and forward-thinking ways, but on the other hand, end users have
sometimes been frustrated by the lack of consistency from one instrument to the
next.

The widespread introduction of MIDI music files (such as sequencer files and
“SMFs,” short for “Standard MIDI Files”) in the late 1980s highlighted this
inconsistency, since there was no guarantee that a file created on one MIDI
instrument would sound at all the same when played back on a different
instrument. For example, one instrument might have a guitar preset stored in
memory slot #18, while another might have a tuba preset stored in the same slot.
Also, one instrument’s drum kit might use note number 40 for a bass drum
sound, while another might use note number 40 for a snare drum sound.
General MIDI

In 1991, the American and Japanese organizations that oversee the MIDI
specification sought to increase consistency by introducing a “recommended
practice” called General MIDI (GM for short). This is a set of rules and
minimum requirements for instruments which are categorized as “General
MIDI-compatible.” These rules can be summarized as follows:

• The instrument must provide a minimum of 24-voice polyphony and at

least 16-way multitimbral capability.

• The instrument must have a minimum of 128 preset sounds, accessed

via standard MIDI program change messages. This “General MIDI
Sound Set” is organized into 16 groupings of 8 presets each. For
example, piano presets are always stored in memory slots 1 - 8, bass
presets in slots 33 - 40, etc.

• Key-based percussion must always be on channel 10. A “GM

Percussion Map” for key numbers #35 - #81 is specified and must be
utilized.

• The instrument must be able to receive MIDI note on/note off and
velocity messages, as well as channel pressure, pitch bend and RPNs
(Registered Parameter Numbers) for realtime control of pitchbend
sensitivity and master coarse and fine tuning.

• The instrument must be able to receive nine specific control change

(“cc”) messages: Modulation (cc #1), Volume (cc #7), Pan (cc #10),
Expression (cc #11), Sustain (cc #64), RPNs (Registered Parameter
Numbers) (cc #100, #101), Reset All Controllers (cc #121),
and All Notes Off (cc #123)

• The instrument must be able to receive two specific Universal Non-

Realtime System Exclusive messages: “Turn GM System On” and
“Turn GM System Off.”

These rules not only guarantee a good degree of compatibility from one
instrument to the next but also ensure that a MIDI music file will retain its
essential character when played on different General MIDI instruments.
Enter XG

General MIDI was a terrific idea that has also proven to be a commercial
success. It has opened up the world of MIDI to thousands of musicians who do
not wish to get involved in technical intricacies. But GM is limited to basic
MIDI functions and is unable to support the full powers of today’s multi-timbral
tone generators. As we enter the multimedia age, it is time for the introduction
of an enhanced format that builds on the foundation laid by General MIDI—and
that format is XG.

Yamaha’s development of the XG format has focused on the following three

key goals:

1. Compatibility - Any XG instrument, regardless of model or

manufacturer, will provide faithful reproduction of XG music files—
and will also be completely 100% General MIDI-compatible, since it
is an enhancement to, and not a replacement for, General MIDI. You
can think of General MIDI as being a kind of minimum “building
code”—all XG instruments are built “to code” but then add a large
number of new features (we’ll talk about these shortly) that make
them more like luxury condos!

2. Scalability - There are actually three different levels of XG

compatibility. The first level is implemented in instruments such as
the Yamaha MU50; the second level is implemented in instruments
such as the Yamaha MU80; and details of the third level will be
announced shortly. These different levels mean that we’ll be seeing a
wide range of XG instruments in the years ahead, each with its own
character and each offering a unique feature set at a different price
point. Each, however, will faithfully replay XG data in accordance
with its level of sophistication—if a particular instrument doesn’t
support a variation voice, for example, it will automatically substitute
the corresponding basic GM voice.

3. Expandability - The XG format—like MIDI itself—is an “open”

architecture, which will allow for the addition of new enhancements
as future technology continues to evolve.
XG Features

The XG format expands on the General MIDI standard in the following major
areas:

1. Number of voices - GM supports 128 voices (accessed via MIDI

program change messages 0 - 127), which seemed like a lot back in 1991. But
reduced memory costs enable today’s MIDI instruments to store many hundreds
(or even thousands!) of voices, giving musicians a much broader sonic palette
from which to work. The XG format enables access to literally thousands of
voices by utilizing MIDI Bank Select (Control change #0 and #32) messages.

2. Voice organization - GM stipulates that its 128-voice sound set be

organized into 16 groupings of 8 presets each. XG instruments take things many
steps further by using the first part of the Bank Select message (Control change
#0 , the “MSB”) to select any of four bank types: Melody sounds, SFX (Special
Effects) sounds, SFX kit (the SFX sounds, mapped one to a key), and Rhythm
kit (various drum and percussion sounds, mapped one to a key). The second part
of the Bank Select message (Control change #32, the “LSB”) is then used to
select any of 128 banks of Melody sounds, each containing 128 presets (which
are accessed by standard MIDI program change messages). Program change
messages are also used to select different SFX sounds, SFX kits or Rhythm
Kits. The illustration below shows how this works:

First part of Bank Select message

(Control change #0, the “MSB”) is used
to select one of four bank types:

If MSB = 00h, second part of

MSB = 00h Bank Select message (Control
Melody sounds change #32, the “LSB”) is used
to select one of 128 banks:
MSB = 40h
SFX sounds
MSB = 7Eh
SFX kit
MSB = 7Fh
Rhythm kit

Bank 0
Bank 1 Program change message
(0 - 127) is then used to
Bank 2
select desired voice or kit.

Bank 127

Note that, in all XG instruments, Melody sounds Bank 0 contains the standard
GM sound set (other banks contain what are known as “variation” voices) and
Rhythm Kit #1 utilizes the standard GM note mapping (other “variation”
Rhythm Kits are accessed with program change messages. Because these are the
defaults selected when a “GM System On” message is received by an XG
instrument, you can be sure of complete compatibility when playing back GM
music files.

3. Polyphony - GM instruments are required to have only a 24-note

minimum polyphony, while XG instruments are required to have at least 32.
This facilitates the creation of dense instrumentations and the use of multiple
complex sounds.

4. Optional Support for Additional MIDI channels - The XG format

supports up to 32 MIDI channels, enabling full 32-way multitimbral operation.

5. Additional Rhythm Channels - Following the GM convention, XG

instruments normally use MIDI channel 10 for rhythm parts (though, unlike
GM, channel 10 can optionally be designated for melody parts). However, the
XG format allows additional channels to be designated for rhythm parts as well,
allowing the musician to easily create complex drum and percussion parts.

6. Support for Internal Effects - Sometimes it’s amazing how the

addition of one little effect can completely change the character of a sound.
However, GM has no provision for the usage of internal effects processors. The
XG format addresses this deficiency by providing support for a minimum of
three different internal effects (Reverb, Chorus, and a switchable global or
“insertion” effect) as well as for a fourth internal “insertion” effect and an
optional internal master graphic equalizer. Standardized MIDI messages are
used to set the send levels of each of these effects (per channel, and, in the case
of Rhythm or SFX kits, per individual voice) as well as the parameters of
internal effects. This allows the musician to create complete, finished
productions in one XG instrument, all under complete MIDI control.

7. Optional Support for External Audio (A/D) Input - The XG format

allows you to participate in your MIDI music by providing optional support for
external audio input. XG instruments that utilize this feature have an audio input
jack into which you can plug a microphone, electric guitar, or any line-level
source. This signal is digitized by a chip called an Analog-to-Digital (A/D)
converter and is then routed to the internal effects processors, same as your
MIDI data—great for multimedia and karaoke applications!

8. Voice Modification - GM specifies the use of only a handful of

control sources for the realtime modification of voices. XG supplements these
with more than a dozen additional control change messages, including
Sostenuto and Soft pedal, data increment/decrement, and portamento time.
There is also support for realtime control of voice filter and envelope settings, as
well as effects levels. In addition, XG uses a series of Non-Registered Parameter
Numbers (NRPNs) for realtime control over variables such as vibrato rate, depth
and delay, and for enabling the user to alter filter cutoff frequency, envelope,
pitch, level, pan, and effects send levels of individual drum voices within a
Rhythm or SFX kit.
XG Music Data

The introduction of GM in 1991 quickly led to the proliferation of commercially

available GM music data—standard MIDI files on disk, optimized for playback
on GM instruments. Similarly, a wide range of XG music data (again, standard
MIDI files on disk, but optimized for playback on XG instruments) will shortly
be available. This data will conform to Yamaha’s “XG Format Music Data
Production Recommendations” document, thus ensuring compatibility when
played back on any XG instrument. XG music files differ from GM music files
in that they support 32-note polyphony and can contain multiple rhythm parts.
In addition, they may contain data which automatically customizes internal
effects, sets preset external A/D input levels, and provides enhanced expressive
realtime voice control during playback.
Comparative Table: GM vs. XG

The table below shows the major distinctions between GM and XG; bear in
mind, however, that XG instruments are always completely GM-compatible.

GM XG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of MIDI channels supported 16 16 minimum;
32 supported

Minimum polyphony 24 32

Minimum multi-timbral capability 16 16 minimum;

32 supported

Number of voices supported 128 Thousands

Bank Select (cc #0 and #32) supported No Yes

Support for multiple Rhythm parts No Yes

Support for effects (internal or external) No Yes

Support for external audio input No Yes

Control change messages supported #1 (Modulation), All GM controllers plus

#7 (Volume), #0 & #32 (Bank Select),
#10 (Panpot), #5 (Portamento Time),
#11 (Expression), #65 (Portamento),
#64 (Sustain), #66 (Sustenuto),
#100, 101 (RPNs), #67 (Soft Pedal),
#121 (Reset All Controllers), #71 (Harmonic Content),
#123 (All Notes Off) #72 (Release Time),
#73 (Attack Time),
#74 (Brightness),
#84 (Portamento Control),
#91 (Effect 1 Depth
[Reverb]),
#93 (Effect 3 Depth
[Chorus]),
#94 (Effect 4 Depth
[Variation]),
#96 (Data Increment),
#97 (Data Decrement),
#98 & #99 (NRPNs),
#120 (All Sound Off),
#124 (Omni Off),
#125 (Omni On),
#126 (Mono On),
#127 (Poly On)