what should these MIDI maps refer to?

[PlainSongs]

My DAW has a bunch of 'instrumental maps' to substitute for the standard General Midi. There's a long list from 01R/W Combination all the way to Z1 PROG.

So, I associate a channel with one of these, pick an instrument - say "Power Rock" - and I get... some bell sound. For most maps and instruments, the sound I get seems unrelated to the name of the instrument, and a lot (but not all) of them seem to default to something in General Midi, mostly the Grand Piano.

These instrumental maps are defined in .imd files with contents like:

Code: Select all

[IMD]
Name=X2,X3,X3R PROG
0=PROGA
1=PROGB
2=PROGC
3=PROGD
4=PROGGM
5=PROGGMDRUM

[PROGA]
Name=PROGRAM Bank A
0=N,0,0,00,A00:Sunrise
1=N,0,0,10,A10:MachineAge
2=N,0,0,20,A20:GlideSweep

<this goes on... a long list>

etc.

So how should that call the correct sounds? Are the sounds supposed to be on my computer at all? I only have a nondescript built-in soundcard which seems to have some Roland GM/GS 'Sound Canvas' samples in it. Are my X2 Power Rock calls directed to non-existing samples? Can extra software help or will only a new soundcard do?

Thanks!