Loading AI tools
An interval signal, or tuning signal, is a characteristic sound or musical phrase used in international broadcasting, numbers stations, and by some domestic broadcasters, played before commencement or during breaks in transmission, but most commonly between programs in different languages.
 | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in German. (January 2022) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
It serves several purposes:
- It helps a listener using a radio with an analog tuner to find the correct frequency.
- It informs other stations that the frequency is in use.
- It serves as a station identifier even if the language used in the subsequent broadcast is not one the listener understands.
The practice began in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s and was carried over into shortwave broadcasts. The use of interval signals has declined with the advent of digital tuning systems, but has not vanished. Interval signals were not required on commercial channels in the United States, where jingles were used as identification.
Radiodifusión Argentina al Exterior: First eight notes of "Mi Buenos Aires querido" by Carlos Gardel, followed by people saying the station's name in eight languages.
Bangladesh Betar: A tune composed by Samar Das.
Radio Belarus: "Motherland, my dear" (Belarusian: Радзіма, мая дарагая, Russian: Родина моя дорогая) by Vladimir Olovnikov and Ales Bachyla.
Rádio Brasil Internacional: Xylophone version of "Brazilian Flag Anthem" (Brazilian Portuguese: Hino à Bandeira Nacional) by Antônio Francisco Braga and Olavo Bilac.
China:
- China National Radio and China Radio International: Chime version of March of the Volunteers (义勇军进行曲).
Interval signal for China National Radio and China Radio International
- Voice of the Strait News Radio: Bell version of "Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention" (三大纪律八项注意).
Interval signal for Voice of the Strait
Radio Habana Cuba: Melody of "March of the 26th of July" (La Marcha del 26 de Julio) by Agustín Díaz Cartaya.
DR P1: "Drømte mig en drøm i nat", played on xylophone.[1]
Interval signal for DR P1
Radio France Internationale: Electronic-disco, culminating in the last 8 measures of "La Marseillaise".
Deutsche Welle: Celesta version of "Es sucht der Bruder seine Brüder" from Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Interval signal for Deutsche Welle
Voice of Greece: "The Little Shepherd" (Ο Τσομπανάκος), played on floghera.[2]
All India Radio: A tune composed by Walter Kaufmann or Thakur Balwant Singh, used since 1936.[3]
Interval signal for All India Radio
Indonesia
- RRI Programa 3: Ending bars of "Solace on Coconut Island" (Rayuan Pulau Kelapa), composed by Ismail Marzuki.
- RRI Voice of Indonesia: "Feeling of Love" (Rasa Sayang).
RTÉ Radio 1: Chime version of "O'Donnell Forever" (O'Donnell Abú).[4]
Radio Japan:
- "Kazoe-uta" (数え歌, counting-out game).
- "Sakura Sakura" (さくらさくら, cherry blossoms).
Interval signals for Radio Japan
Radio Nepal: A tune composed by Ustad Govinda Lal Nepali.
North Korea
- Voice of Korea: Melody of "Song of General Kim Il-sung" (김일성장군의 노래).
- Pyongyang FM: Melody of "Song of General Kim Jong-il" (김정일장군의 노래).
KBS World Radio: "Dawn".
RTL Radio: "De Feierwon" by Michel Lentz, played on chimes.[5]
Voice of Mongolia: "Motherland" (Эх орон).[citation needed]
Interval signal for Voice of Mongolia
Radio New Zealand International: The call of a New Zealand bellbird
Radio Pakistan: A tune composed by Khwaja Khursheed Anwar.
Interval signal for Radio Pakistan
Philippines:
- Far East Broadcasting Company: "We Have Heard the Joyful Sound".
- Radio Veritas Asia: "O via, vita, veritas".
Radio Romania International: The first nine notes of “Pui de lei", lyrics by Ioan S. Nenițescu and song by Ionel G. Brătianu
Russia
- Radio Mayak: Vibraphone version of Moscow Nights.
- Radio Sakha: Excerpt from a Yakut folk song.
Radio Slovenia: Electronically generated cuckoo chirping.
Radio Ukraine International: "Roar and groan, vast Dnieper" (Реве та стогне Дніпр широкий).
BBC World Service:
- English programme: "Bow Bells".
- Non-English programme, non-Europe: "Lillibullero", three notes tuned B–B–C.
- Non-English programme, to Europe: four notes tuned B–B–B–E.
Interval signals for BBC World Service
United States:
Interval signal for NBC
- Trans World Radio: "What a Friend We Have in Jesus".
- Voice of America: Brass band version of "Yankee Doodle".
- WEWN, later EWTN Global Radio: "Salve Regina"
Vatican Radio: "Christus Vincit", played on celesta.
Interval signal for Vatican Radio
Radio Nacional de Venezuela's Canal Internacional: Beginning of "Alma Llanera" by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez and Rafael Bolívar Coronado.
Formerly used
Radio Tirana: Këputa një gjethe dafine (transmission intro) and the trumpet version of With Pickaxe and Rifle.
Radio Tirana
Radio Australia: Chimes version of Waltzing Matilda (chorus), Kookaburra call. News signature tune: Majestic Fanfare.
Radio Österreich International: Orchestral version of An der schönen blauen Donau ("Blue Danube Waltz") by Johann Strauss.[6]
Radio Österreich International
- Ö1: Three notes signifying O–R–F by Werner Pirchner, played on viola.[7]
Interval signal for Ö1
RTBF International: Où peut-on être mieux qu’au sein de sa famille.- Rádio Nacional: Luar do Sertão ("Hinterlands Moonlight").
Radio Canada International: First four notes of O Canada, played on piano or autoharp.
Radio Canada International
- Radio Peking (predecessor of China Radio International): Chimes version of 东方红 ("The East Is Red").
Radio Peking
Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: Avkoritsa by Andreas Mappouras, played on guitar
Radio Prague
- Trumpet version of Kupředu levá ("Forward, Left") by Jan Seidl
Radio Prague
Yle Radio 1: Pim-pam-pulla by A. O. Väisänen.[8]
Radio Finland (Yle)
- Radio France Internationale: Trumpet version of a popular song, Nous n'irons plus au bois.[6]
Radio France Internationale
Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk: The 4th symphony by Brahms.
Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk
Reichssender Berlin: Ending bars of Volk ans Gewehr, played on glockenspiel.
Reichssender Berlin
East Germany
- Berliner Rundfunk: Motif from the opera Regina by Albert Lortzing, played by trumpets.
- Radio Berlin International: Beginning of Auferstanden aus Ruinen ("Risen from Ruins"), played on chimes.
Radio Berlin International
-
Interval signal for Radio NTS
- DFS 904: "Ode to Joy"
Interval signal for DFS 904
- Deutschlandfunk: Celesta version of Dir, Land voll Lieb' und Leben from "Ich hab' mich ergeben" by Hans Ferdinand Maßmann.[9]
Deutschlandfunk
Radio Budapest: Excerpts from the suite 1848 by T.K. Polgar played on three trumpets and two cornets.
Radio Budapest
Kol Yisrael: Trumpet and drum version of Hatikvah.
Kol Yisrael
Rai Italia Radio: Mechanically generated canary chirping.
Trans World Radio: Hymne Monégasque
Trans World Radio
Netherlands
- NPO: First seven notes of Wilhelmus, played on clarinet (Radio 1 and Radio 5), synthesizer (Radio 3), spinet (Radio 4) and flute (Radio 2).[10][better source needed]
- Radio Netherlands: Carillon version of the Eighty Years' War song Merck toch hoe sterck.
Radio Netherlands
Norway
- NRK P1: Motif from Sigurd Jorsalfar by Edvard Grieg.[11]
- Radio Norway International (Utenlandssendingen (in Norwegian), former international service of NRK): Symphony No. 1, Op. 26: Innover viddene. 1938, 51 by Eivind Groven
Radio Norway International (NRK)
Poland
- Radio Katowice: Sound of a hammer striking an anvil.[12]
- Radio Olsztyn: Excerpt from O Warmio moja miła by Feliks Nowowiejski, played on barrel organ.
- Polish Radio External Service: Excerpt from Prząśniczka by Stanisław Moniuszko, played on piano.[13]
- Radio Polonia: Piano version of Etude No. 12 ("Revolutionary Etude") by Frédéric Chopin.
Radio Polonia
Radio Bucharest 1 and Radio Bucharest External Service (pre 1989): Fragment from Cantata anilor luminǎ by Anatol Vieru- Voice of Russia: "Majestic" chorus from the "Great Gate of Kiev" portion of Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky.
Radio Serbia: Bože pravde.
Radio Slovakia International: Kto za pravdu horí.
Radio RSA (former international service of Apartheid-era South African Broadcasting Corporation): Bokmakierie chirping and first bars of Ver in die Wereld, Kittie, played on guitar.[6][14]
Radio RSA
Radio Sweden: Chime version of Ut i vida världen ("Out in the Wide World"), composed by Ralph Lundsten and the opening notes of Carl Michael Bellman's Storm och böljor tystna r'en.[6][15]
Switzerland
- Radio Beromünster: D' Zit isch do, played on music box.
- Swiss Radio International: Lueget, vo Berg und Tal.
Swiss Radio International
Voice of Turkey: Turkish makam, played on piano.
Interval signal of Voice of Turkey as heard in 2013
Radio Moscow (former international service of the Soviet Union):
- Подмосковные вечера ("Moscow Nights"), played on vibraphone.
- Песня о Родине ("Wide Is My Motherland")
Radio Moscow
- BBC World Service: Trumpet version of Oranges and Lemons, first four notes of Symphony No. 5 by Beethoven, played on timpani; Lillibullero (signature tune, played on trumpet).[16]
- WYFR: First two bars of To God Be the Glory by William Howard Doane played by a brass band
Radio Yugoslavia (1980–1989): First bar of Druže Tito, ljubićice bjela anonymous Partisan song, in various orchestral renditions.[17]
-
Radio Yugoslavia, later International Radio of Serbia and Montenegro: Jugoslavijo by Nikola Hercigonja.
Classical radio station WQXR-FM in New York City, during its ownership by The New York Times Company, played different variations of a classical infused gong with the ID read at the same time as "The Classical Station of the New York Times, WQXR, New York (And WQXR.com 2000–2009) [citation needed]
Numbers station interval signals
Numbers stations are often named after their interval signals, such as The Lincolnshire Poacher or Magnetic Fields after "Magnetic Fields Part 1" by Jean-Michel Jarre.
Wikiwand in your browser!
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
