Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth

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Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth (popularly abbreviated as MSGS) is a software synthesizer included with Microsoft Windows since the late 1990's. It is compliant with General MIDI and uses a licensed Roland GS sample set (226 normal instruments + 9 drumkits). The GS standard includes features like reverb and chorus effects[1][2] and tone editing,[2] so despite the name, MSGS is presumably not a GS-compliant synth. The samples are also notably lower in quality than on even the earliest Roland Sound Canvas devices, and the synthesis seems to lack a low-pass filter, unlike the SC series. These characteristics give it a unique sound profile that means works designed for GS devices may not sound good on MSGS, and vice-versa.

The synth does not seem to be documented by Microsoft. Most knowledge about it comes from user testing.

References

  1. Roland SC-55 Owner's Manual, page 62.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Roland SC-55mkII Owner's Manual, page 81.