The GM 1 specification was superseded by General MIDI 2 in 1999 however, GM 1 is still commonly used. However, it still leaves the actual sounds of each instrument up to the supplier to implement one manufacturer's French horn, say, could be brighter, or more mellow, than another's. This helps ensure that playback of MIDI files sounds more consistently between different devices compliant with the GM specification. With MIDI 1.0, the assignment could be to an arbitrary instrument but with GM, a program number assigns a specific instrument name. For example, assigning one of the 128 possible MIDI Program Numbers selects an instrument. Second, GM attaches specific interpretations to many parameters and control messages which were left unspecified in the MIDI 1.0 specification. First, GM requires that all compliant MIDI instruments meet a certain minimal set of features, such as being able to play at least 24 notes simultaneously ( polyphony). While MIDI 1.0 by itself provides a communications protocol which ensures that different instruments can interoperate at a fundamental level - for example, that pressing keys on a MIDI keyboard will cause an attached MIDI sound module to play musical notes - GM goes further in two ways. GM imposes several requirements beyond the more abstract MIDI 1.0 specification. The official specification is available in English from the MMA, bound together with the MIDI 1.0 specification, and in Japanese from the Association of Musical Electronic Industry (AMEI). GM was developed by the American MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) and the Japan MIDI Standards Committee (JMSC) and first published in 1991. General MIDI (also known as GM or GM 1) is a standardized specification for electronic musical instruments that respond to MIDI messages. For the British DJ, see General Midi (DJ). But if they don't, that's what "making music" is.This article is about the electronic musical instrument specification. If tools are falling short, yes you need new ones.
In the end, anything you use are just tools to make whatever you've dreamt to come true. You can't believe how many top-chart albums out there using only digital stuff.
Of course playing live instruments is a good skill to have, but only as much as knowing how to program midi well. Anyone who tells you anything is "cheating" is most likely a failing show-offs that has no future in this industry. Using digital instruments is no cheating. Whatever choice brings you to your desired target is valid. I haven’t made any music lately, what with the goat farming and all." I also think that is cheating, but I’m not sure where to go from here. I then thought that that was cheating too, so I grew my own goat from a baby goat. I then thought using premade skins was cheating, so I killed a goat and skinned it. I then thought using bought drums was cheating, so I learned to make my own. I then thought that programming it was cheating, so I learned to play drums for real. I then thought using samples was cheating, so I recorded real drums. "I thought using loops was cheating, so I programmed my own using samples.
I'm a composer, sound designer and engineer for the last 10 years and there's one quote that used to hang on my wall while I was working hard on countless projects: