Many SMUS players search for certain instruments by name. Not only is this slow (comparing strings), but if the exact name can't be found, then it is very difficult and time-consuming to search for a suitable replacement. For this reason, many SMUS players resort to "default" instruments even if these are nothing like the desired instruments. The InsType byte in each waveHeader is meant to be a numeric code which will tell an SMUS player exactly what the instrument is. In this way, the SMUS player can search for the correct "type" of instrument if it can't find the desired name. The type byte is divided into 2 nibbles (4 bits for you C programmers) with the low 4 bits representing the instrument "family" as follows: 1 = STRING, 2 = WOODWIND, 3 = KEYBOARD, 4 = GUITAR, 5 = VOICE, 6 = DRUM1, 7 = DRUM2, 8 = PERCUSSION1, 9 = BRASS1, A = BRASS2, B = CYMBAL, C = EFFECT1, D = EFFECT2, E = SYNTH, F is undefined at this time Now, the high nibble describes the particular type within that family. For the STRING family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = VIOLIN BOW, 2 = VIOLIN PLUCK, 3 = VIOLIN GLISSANDO, 4 = VIOLIN TREMULO, 5 = VIOLA BOW, 6 = VIOLA PLUCK, 7 = VIOLA GLIS, 8 = VIOLA TREM, 9 = CELLO BOW, A = CELLO PLUCK, B = CELLO GLIS, C = CELLO TREM, D = BASS BOW, E = BASS PLUCK (jazz bass), F = BASS TREM For the BRASS1 family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = BARITONE SAX, 2 = BARI GROWL, 3 = TENOR SAX, 4 = TENOR GROWL, 5 = ALTO SAX, 6 = ALTO GROWL, 7 = SOPRANO SAX, 8 = SOPRANO GROWL, 9 = TRUMPET, A = MUTED TRUMPET, B = TRUMPET DROP, C = TROMBONE, D = TROMBONE SLIDE, E = TROMBONE MUTE For the BRASS2 family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = FRENCH HORN, 2 = TUBA, 3 = FLUGAL HORN, 4 = ENGLISH HORN For the WOODWIND family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = CLARINET, 2 = FLUTE, 3 = PAN FLUTE, 4 = OBOE, 5 = PICCOLO, 6 = RECORDER, 7 = BASSOON, 8 = BASS CLARINET, 9 = HARMONICA For the KEYBOARD family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = GRAND PIANO, 2 = ELEC. PIANO, 3 = HONKYTONK PIANO, 4 = TOY PIANO, 5 = HARPSICHORD, 6 = CLAVINET, 7 = PIPE ORGAN, 8 = HAMMOND B-3, 9 = FARFISA ORGAN, A = HARP For the DRUM1 family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = KICK, 2 = SNARE, 3 = TOM, 4 = TIMBALES, 5 = CONGA HIT, 6 = CONGA SLAP, 7 = BRUSH SNARE, 8 = ELEC SNARE, 9 = ELEC KICK, A = ELEC TOM, B = RIMSHOT, C = CROSS STICK, D = BONGO, E = STEEL DRUM, F = DOUBLE TOM For the DRUM2 family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = TIMPANI, 2 = TIMPANI ROLL, 3 = LOG DRUM For the PERCUSSION1 family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = BLOCK, 2 = COWBELL, 3 = TRIANGLE, 4 = TAMBOURINE, 5 = WHISTLE, 6 = MARACAS, 7 = BELL, 8 = VIBES, 9 = MARIMBA, A = XYLOPHONE, B = TUBULAR BELLS, C = GLOCKENSPEIL For the CYMBAL family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = CLOSED HIHAT, 2 = OPEN HIHAT, 3 = STEP HIHAT, 4 = RIDE, 5 = BELL CYMBAL, 6 = CRASH, 7 = CHOKE CRASH, 8 = GONG, 9 = BELL TREE, A = CYMBAL ROLL For the GUITAR family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = ELECTRIC, 2 = MUTED ELECTRIC, 3 = DISTORTED, 4 = ACOUSTIC, 5 = 12-STRING, 6 = NYLON STRING, 7 = POWER CHORD, 8 = HARMONICS, 9 = CHORD STRUM, A = BANJO, B = ELEC. BASS, C = SLAPPED BASS, D = POPPED BASS, E = SITAR, F = MANDOLIN (Note that an acoustic picked bass is found in the STRINGS - Bass Pluck) For the VOICE family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = MALE AHH, 2 = FEMALE AHH, 3 = MALE OOO, 4 = FEMALE OOO, 5 = FEMALE BREATHY, 6 = LAUGH, 7 = WHISTLE For the EFFECTS1 family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = EXPLOSION, 2 = GUNSHOT, 3 = CREAKING DOOR OPEN, 4 = DOOR SLAM, 5 = DOOR CLOSE, 6 = SPACEGUN, 7 = JET ENGINE, 8 = PROPELLER, 9 = HELOCOPTER, A = BROKEN GLASS, B = THUNDER, C = RAIN, D = BIRDS, E = JUNGLE NOISES, F = FOOTSTEP For the EFFECTS2 family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = MACHINE GUN, 2 = TELEPHONE, 3 = DOG BARK, 4 = DOG GROWL, 5 = BOAT WHISTLE, 6 = OCEAN, 7 = WIND, 8 = CROWD BOOS, 9 = APPLAUSE, A = ROARING CROWDS, B = SCREAM, C = SWORD CLASH, D = AVALANCE, E = BOUNCING BALL, F = BALL AGAINST BAT OR CLUB For the SYNTH family, the high nibble is as follows: 1 = STRINGS, 2 = SQUARE, 3 = SAWTOOTH, 4 = TRIANGLE, 5 = SINE, 6 = NOISE So, for example if a wave's type byte was 0x26, this would be a SNARE DRUM. If a wave's type byte is 0, then this means "UNKNOWN" instrument.