This document was commissioned by the MIDI Manufacturers Association in 1995 to help developers of General MIDI System Level 1 (GM Level 1) products determine how to make their products compatible with as many other GM products as possible.
file_5f1910382fde6_003_General_MIDI_Level_1_Developer_Guidelines_96-1-4_0.1.pdf Based on a survey of existing products, this document provides insights into areas of compatibility which are not clearly defined by the text of the formal GM Level 1 Specification (MMA0007/RP003), and adds additional recommendations to that specification based on market realities. This document should be used by manufacturers of GM compatible musical instruments (typically called “synthesizers”) as well as by composers (authors of MIDI files) and developers of applications software to achieve more predictable playback of MIDI files.