This page is designed to give you detailed information about the origins of what each General MIDI instrument is for those who were curious like Mike and wished to know how they originated. Below it is separated into specific categories:

001-008: Keyboards
009-016: Idiophones
017-024: Organs and Reeds
025-032: Guitars
033-040: Basses
041-064: Orchestra
065-072: Woodwind Family
073-080: Pipes
081-104: Synthesizer Patches
105-112: Ethnic Instruments
113-120: Percussion
121-128: Sound Effects