Ok, this could be a stupid question, but I'll ask anyway. Where does my computer store the GM/GS sound files that it uses for software synthesis? Or are both of those sound banks stored in my sound card? Any help is appreciated, thanks!

This link may provide you with some useful information: http://www.indiana.edu/~emusic/etext/MIDI/chapter3_MIDI10.shtml

Thanks for the suggestion, but unfortunately, that information is not quite what I'm looking for. I need to know where the GM/GS files are stored on a computer. Thanks!

Errrr... double-post, sorry.

Based on what I read here: http://www.midi.org/about-midi/tutorial/tutor.shtml MIDI is simply streamed to the sound card in tiny chunks, rather than stored on the card and then read. So to answer your question (at least for GM), it is stored in local RAM.

That makes sense, but where are they stored before they are loaded into RAM? Where on the hard drive, if not in the sound card, are they kept? Ultimately, I'm trying to find a way to change the GM sound set, without using soundfonts...

GM is a standard for storing MIDI data, so, .midi files.

Are you looking to change the actual synthesizer?

$10 says its in either c:\windows\system or c:\windows\system32 under either a .dls file or .sf2 file

~Fire

Yes I'm looking to change the actual synthesizer. I'm not looking for *.mid or *.midi files.

Fire - I did a search for DLS files in the Windows folder... only one came up and it's called "GM.DLS", located in the windows\system32\drivers\ folder. Not quite where you said, so I'm not giving you 10 bucks. :) Thanks for the thought anyway though, I think this could be it! (I'll edit this when I confirm).

EDIT: It's confirmed. The GM and GS sound sets are included in one DLS file, located at C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\GM.DLS. Thanks for the help all!

[Edited by - pricklymustard on January 4, 2006 3:41:32 PM]