For Musicians Instrument Bank Organization |

Like many musical instruments, the Beatnik playback software includes built-in Instrument definitions - in this case, over 300 of them. Instruments are divided into three Banks: the built-in General MIDI and Beatnik Special banks, and the Custom bank for Instruments that you make in the Beatnik Editor and include in your RMF files.
Every Bank consists of two sets of 128 Instruments each:
Melodic Instruments are numbered 0-127, and are `normal' Instruments that respond to the 128 MIDI note numbers by playing the corresponding melodic pitches. Percussion Instruments are treated differently. The 128 Percussion Instruments in each bank make up a `drum kit' that puts a different Instrument on each of the 128 MIDI note numbers. So with Percussion Instruments, playing different notes produces different Instruments, rather than playing a single Instrument at different pitches. This Percussion behavior is a part of the General MIDI standard, and is ordinarily used only on MIDI channel 10; however, in Beatnik playback software you can put any set of MIDI channels into this mode if you want to (see MIDI Channel Modes).
Bank Number and Name | Built-In? | Description
Bank 0: General MIDI | Melodic | Yes | The first bank is organized according to the General MIDI specification, for compatibility with all Standard MIDI Files.
Percussion
Bank 1: Beatnik Special | Melodic | Yes | The second bank is organized similarly to the GM bank, but includes unique sounds beyond the GM set, and Web-appropriate sound effects, all created by Beatnik artists.
Percussion
Bank 2: Custom | Melodic | No | The third bank provides room for your own Custom Instruments, including variations on the built-in Instruments.
Percussion
When you create a new Session in the Beatnik Editor, the Custom bank will be empty, and the other two banks (GM and Beatnik Special) will be full. You can't change anything in the first two banks, however - to modify an existing Instrument, you'll have to copy it to the Custom Instrument bank, and modify the copy there.
Note: You can drag and drop Instruments and Samples between Session files.

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