Just curious if anyone knows of a visual (pictoral) MIDI instrument map, meaning, for example, a GM1 MIDI chart that includes both the names AND a picture of each instrument.
The project I am working on requires me to sift through literally hundreds (thousands?) of GS instrument names/sounds to select ones that closely match sounds I am trying to replicate. I know what a lot of instruments look like, and therefore can guesstimate their sound just by seeing their name. I have absolutely no idea what kind of instrument a whole slew of others are, so the only way I can hazard a guess as to if it will fit my needs it to set it, play my file, and either go "Yup" or "Nooooo" (maybe supplemented with a google search). Its patch number sometimes gives a clue (like all overdrive guitar types are generally around patch #30), but sometimes not.
Just for a general idea, this is what I am working with in terms of available sounds from my active soundfonts. Starting at the top left, each row is a MSB value, 0-127. Each column is a Patch number, 0-127. Each dot is an available patch sound.
(Alas, the attachment option is not working at the moment. If it works later, I can attach it. Just know, there are a lot of dots!)