If you want to use a better soundfont, you can change the default MIDI output in Windows. Note that Windows 10/11 have a built-in user interface to select a new default MIDI synthesizer.
Roland, a Japanese synthesizer giant, extended this with its standard, adding more controllers, effects (reverb/chorus), and drum maps. Microsoft licensed Roland’s technology for Windows 95, and that legacy continues today. windows default soundfont
Buzzing and synthetic, sounding more like a 1980s pop keyboard than a symphony. If you want to use a better soundfont,
| SoundFont Name | File Size (approx.) | Sound Character & Best Use | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 140 MB | A modern standard for free SoundFonts. Excellent, natural-sounding general MIDI bank. A massive upgrade from the default Windows soundfont . | | Arachno SoundFont | 170 MB | Very popular for its powerful, punchy sound and excellent instrument balance. Great for rock, pop, and classical music . | | Timbres of Heaven | 400 MB | A huge and cinematic soundfont. Filled with lush, atmospheric samples. Perfect for epic game soundtracks and orchestral pieces . | | Compifont | 1 GB+ | An enormous, high-fidelity SoundFont that aims to capture the sound of real, expressive instruments. The ultimate free choice if you have plenty of RAM and storage . | | 8MBGM Enhanced | 8 MB | A tiny but surprisingly good-sounding "retro" soundfont. Ideal for older hardware or achieving a classic 90s Sound Canvas sound . | Microsoft licensed Roland’s technology for Windows 95, and
: The sounds are based on a licensed, cut-down version of the Roland Sound Canvas
Due to compression, some tones or percussion beats might be missing in newer Windows versions.