Editing the Tunes (Beep Melodies)

NOTE: This website is a static copy that has been archived on KK4NDE's website June 12, 2021 with the permission of G4HFQ to preserve the content before his site is shut down.

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Editing the Tunes (Beep Melodies)

What are Tunes (Beep Melodies)?

During CTCSS Decode, DCS or EPCS operation the radio has a function that can sound a ringing 'bell' sound or user programmed beep tune (beep melody) when you receive an incoming call.

The selection of whether a bell or tune is played is done for each memory channel in the column Bell Ringer. Here you can turn the alert off, select a pre-defined bell sound (BELL) or one of three user-programmed tunes (the user manual calls them beep melodies USRBP1, USRBP2 or USRBP3). The number of times the alert is played is set in configuration menu item 9, BEL.RNG.

Editing the tunes

To program the beep melodies use configuration menu item 10, BEEP MELODY. Double-click the cell indicated and an editor screen is shown that permits editing of the 3 tunes:

Each tune can have up to up to 64 notes. The first note is always a rest not (POS) and the duration is set internally to match the number of the appropriate Tempo slider. The note duration is indicated as x1 for the base duration and /n for shorter duration and xn for longer duration. There are 3 octaves from C1 to B3 plus a rest (POS).

There are 8 tempos that can be selected per tune by moving the slider left and right. The approximate tempo is shown in beats per minute (bpm) when you change the slider position. The available rates are 71, 83, 100, 125, 167, 250, 333, and 500.

Setting the MIDI device

The first time it is run the program looks for the Microsoft GS wavetable Synth to use as its Midi Device. If this is not suitable in your PC configuration you can open the Midi Device menu to see the MIDI devices detected on your PC. You can then choose which device to use - the one with the tick to the left is the currently chosen device. The following procedure is suggested:

1. open the sound mixer on your PC and ensure that MIDI is not muted and the volume is not at minimum
2. check that your speakers are connected and turned on
3. load one of the sample tunes and select one of its notes
4. press the F3 key (play note)
5. if nothing is heard then use the Midi Device menu to select the next available device and try again.

Sample Tunes

Two sample tunes are provided in the Samples menu to give you an idea of how to compose tunes.

Recording a tune using the piano keyboard

The easiest way to enter a tune is to use the recording facility of piano keyboard. The screenshot above shows recording of the start of Fur Elise.

Select the position on the grid where you want the notes to be recorded. Click the Record Keyboard button (it shows in yellow when enabled) and then click on the notes you want to record. A duration of x1 is entered together with the note that you clicked; then the next position down is automatically selected.

When you have finished recording click the Record Keyboard button again to turn off recording mode.

Editing a tune

To add or edit a note click in the desired cell and choose the duration or note number from the drop-down lists.

Right-clicking on a cell will show a pop-out menu of editing commands:

Cut (CTRL+X) Cuts the selected cells to the clipboard. First select the area to be cut. More than one column can be included at the same time.

Copy (CTRL+C) Copies the selected cells to the clipboard. First select the area to be copied. More than one column can be included at the same time.

Paste (CTRL+V) Pastes the clipboard to the selected area. If more than one cell is to be pasted then first select the area to be pasted to. More than one column can be included at the same time.

Insert note Insert a note at the selected cell. Subsequent notes are pushed down and a blank note is created at the selected cell.

Delete note Delete a note at the selected cell. Subsequent notes are shuffled up to close the gap.

Clear cells Clear the selected cells. First select the area to be cleared. More than one column can be included at the same time.

Clear tune Clear just the tune that has been right-clicked.

Compact empty notes Compact empty or partially completed notes in the tune containing the selected cell. A partially completed not is onw where either duration or not is blank.

Fill selection down Fill down the selected selection of cells. First select the area to be filled including the top row which is the source data. More than one column can be included at the same time.

Test tune (F2) Tests the currently selected tune using MIDI out on channel 0

Play note (F3) Plays the currently selected note using MIDI out on channel 0

Importing/Exporting Tunes

Tunes can be imported and exported using the Import/Export menu. Choose which tune to import into or export from and supply an appropriate file name.

Exiting the Tune editor

Click the OK button to save all tunes into the memory image and exit the editor.

Click the Cancel button to exit the editor and not save the tunes.

Making the radio play a tune

In order for the radio to play a tune on an incoming signal:

1. set up a memory and in the Encoding Method column choose TSQL, DCS or EPCS operation

2. in the memory's Bell Ringer column choose USRBP1, USRBP2 or USRBP3 as the tune to play

3. choose a tune play repetition number using configuration menu item 12, BELL.RINGER

Set the radio to a memory channel which has the Bell Ringer option set as above. When an incoming call arrives that matches the TSQL, DCS or EPCS setting you have chosen the tune will be played.

NOTE: This website is a static copy that has been archived on KK4NDE's website June 12, 2021 with the permission of G4HFQ to preserve the content before his site is shut down.