The original goal of developing a specification for DLS grew, in large part, from a need for a more flexible range of soundbank instrumentation than was currently available through General MIDI. The GM guidelines specify a 128 melodic instrument set, giving composers a finite amount of sounds to draw upon when composing MIDI-based music. DLS provides composers with the facility to create their own custom instruments and download them along with their MIDI creation, adding a new dimension to the possibilities of instrument use.

In addition, although MIDI had been standardized, the specification was not detailed enough to ensure any degree of consistency around instrument creation, causing the same MIDI composition to sound quite different depending on the soundbank with which it was played. To remedy this issue, DLS was developed to offer composers an infinite amount of flexibility in their use of instrumentation, while providing enough technical detail to ensure that playback of the same file was consistent regardless of the target platform. This goal can be applied directly to today’s wireless mobile device market, where dozens of different device configurations can be expected to play back the same piece of content.

Beatnik has embraced the DLS standard by supporting its playback in the Beatnik Audio Engine and including DLS support in the eXtensible Music Format (XMF) file specification. By utilizing the benefits of DLS, Beatnik provides composers with technology that enables composers the widest degrees of flexibility during creation, while giving them the confidence that their content will play back consistently on any device running he Beatnik audio technology.

For more information on DLS, please visit the MIDI Manufacturers Assocciaten Website where the DLS 1.0 and 2.0 specifications are available for viewing. For more information on Beatnik’s support of DLS, please send questions to .