diff --git a/lith/scripts/gm-bake.mjs b/lith/scripts/gm-bake.mjs
index 533ecf160..06fee3cff 100755
--- a/lith/scripts/gm-bake.mjs
+++ b/lith/scripts/gm-bake.mjs
@@ -178,8 +178,10 @@ if (!DRY_RUN) {
 }
 
 // ─── SoundFont resolution ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// Christian Collins's official GitHub mirror — stable raw download, unlike
+// the schristiancollins.com page (now an SPA whose download URLs flux).
 const GENERALUSER_URL =
-  "https://schristiancollins.com/soundfonts/GeneralUser_GS_1.471.zip";
+  "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mrbumpy409/GeneralUser-GS/main/GeneralUser-GS.sf2";
 const GENERALUSER_NAME = "GeneralUser GS v1.471";
 const GENERALUSER_LICENSE = `${GENERALUSER_NAME}
 by S. Christian Collins (https://schristiancollins.com/generaluser.php)
@@ -218,10 +220,11 @@ function resolveSoundFont() {
     return { path: cachedSf2, name: GENERALUSER_NAME };
   }
   log(`downloading ${GENERALUSER_NAME} → ${cachedSf2}`);
-  const zip = join(CACHE_DIR, "GeneralUser_GS.zip");
+  const isDirectSf2 = /\.sf2$/i.test(GENERALUSER_URL);
+  const downloadPath = isDirectSf2 ? cachedSf2 : join(CACHE_DIR, "GeneralUser_GS.zip");
   const curl = spawnSync(
     "curl",
-    ["-fsSL", "-o", zip, GENERALUSER_URL],
+    ["-fsSL", "-o", downloadPath, GENERALUSER_URL],
     { stdio: "inherit" },
   );
   if (curl.status !== 0) {
@@ -230,15 +233,18 @@ function resolveSoundFont() {
         `  Upstream page: https://schristiancollins.com/generaluser.php`,
     );
   }
-  // Try both unzip and bsdtar; locate the .sf2 inside.
+  if (isDirectSf2) {
+    log(`downloaded: ${cachedSf2}`);
+    return { path: cachedSf2, name: GENERALUSER_NAME };
+  }
+  // Archive case: unzip and locate the .sf2 inside.
   const extractDir = join(CACHE_DIR, "extract");
   rmSync(extractDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
   mkdirSync(extractDir, { recursive: true });
-  const unzip = spawnSync("unzip", ["-q", "-o", zip, "-d", extractDir], {
+  const unzip = spawnSync("unzip", ["-q", "-o", downloadPath, "-d", extractDir], {
     stdio: "inherit",
   });
   if (unzip.status !== 0) die("unzip failed; install `unzip` or extract manually");
-  // Find the SF2 file recursively.
   const found = execFileSync("find", [extractDir, "-name", "*.sf2"])
     .toString()
     .trim()
diff --git a/system/public/aesthetic.computer/lib/gm.mjs b/system/public/aesthetic.computer/lib/gm.mjs
index c7764b5eb..c50172a80 100644
--- a/system/public/aesthetic.computer/lib/gm.mjs
+++ b/system/public/aesthetic.computer/lib/gm.mjs
@@ -20,7 +20,22 @@
 // runtime. It does not modify disk.mjs, midi.mjs, or any disk file; the
 // program-change wiring will be hooked up elsewhere.
 
-const ASSET_BASE = "https://assets.aesthetic.computer/gm";
+// Local dev (`npm run site`) serves system/public/assets/ at /assets/, so
+// the bake output dropped into system/public/assets/gm/ is reachable
+// without uploading to the CDN. On prod we hit the Spaces-backed CDN.
+function resolveAssetBase() {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") return "https://assets.aesthetic.computer/gm";
+  const host = window.location?.hostname || "";
+  const isLocal =
+    host === "localhost" ||
+    host === "127.0.0.1" ||
+    host === "" ||
+    host.endsWith(".local") ||
+    host.endsWith(".github.dev") ||
+    host.endsWith(".gitpod.io");
+  return isLocal ? "/assets/gm" : "https://assets.aesthetic.computer/gm";
+}
+const ASSET_BASE = resolveAssetBase();
 const MANIFEST_URL = `${ASSET_BASE}/manifest.json`;
 
 // ─── AudioContext access ──────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -191,6 +206,13 @@ function noteUrl(dir, midi) {
   return `${dir}/${midiToNoteName(midi)}.mp3`;
 }
 
+// Drum samples are filed by raw MIDI number (e.g. 35 = Acoustic Bass Drum)
+// because drum kits aren't pitched — scientific-pitch names ("B1") would be
+// semantically wrong. Matches the bake script's output convention.
+function drumNoteUrl(dir, midi) {
+  return `${dir}/${midi}.mp3`;
+}
+
 // Pick the closest rendered MIDI note to a target.
 function nearestRenderedNote(noteList, target) {
   if (!noteList || noteList.length === 0) return null;
@@ -409,7 +431,7 @@ export async function loadDrumKit(kitId = 0, audioContext) {
 
     function getSample(midi) {
       if (samples.has(midi)) return samples.get(midi);
-      const promise = fetchAndDecode(noteUrl(dir, midi), ctx);
+      const promise = fetchAndDecode(drumNoteUrl(dir, midi), ctx);
       samples.set(midi, promise);
       return promise;
     }