getting the sitar (and other) sounds

Thanks for the link. I should have explained that I did click the button to the left and got the box with the parameters. One older help site stated that:

<<it will bring up the interface for the DLS Device. Once there you will find a Sound bank pull down menu that should say QuickTime Music Synthesizer by default. (Note: I got that far.)

With the QuickTime Music Synthesizer selected, any MIDI controller you play would let you hear an acoustic Grand Piano. One that quite frankly sounds much worse than GB's default Piano.

This Grand piano is number one of a list of 128 General Midi Instruments.>>

I have not been able to pull up such a list. Any light you can shed on how to pull up this MIDI instrument list would be greatly appreciated.

Again, I thank you for your time and patience. However...

<< the number of instruments accessible using Program Changes is limited to 128. Since some devices have more than 128 voices, they require a different method to access these extra voices. Generally, these devices use Bank LSB and Bank MSB messages, The Keystation 49e can accomplish these changes in two ways and they aredesccribed following>>

This is completely Greek to me. I'm squinting and snorting and saying in a loud moron voice, "LSB and MSB Banks???!" I'm not the most musically inclined person.

And am I not simply trying to find something that exists in GB's instrument library? I guess I'm hung up on the fact that there's an icon that I can see that shows a sitar. And isn't the basic 128 what I'm trying to access?

Meanwhile I tried earlier to download a Soundfont on a different site but it came up a dud with the file opening in ancient code. I will now try the link you sent.

Thanks,

Hand-holding is what I'm all about. So I'm starting to get it, I think. So last question, referring to the quote below, is this is what those confusing banks are about? And if so, maybe there ARE bagpipes if one finds the Garage Band magic leprechaun...


<< GarageBand can access the 128 General MIDI Instruments if you know how to send a program change to the DSL module. Here are the trumpet, vibraphone, strings, harmonica, French horn and banjo that you have been missing (just kiddin' about the banjo).
Just remember:

* to never use #53 and #54, the Choir Aahs and Oohs because they are truly awful
* that #24, "Tango accordeon" is a misnomer for the bandoneon
* that the "sitar" sound #105 is a perversion of one of the most beautifully complex sounds of all, when heard live;
* there is a much better sampled sitar available in JamPack | World Music
* that #121 - "Guitar Fret Noise" was horribly overdone when General Midi first came out in the eighties, though it might be safe to start using it again...
* that #33 Acoustic Bass and #44 Contrabass are the same instrument. The acoustic bass is the plucked sound, the contrabass is bowed.