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.
It serves several purposes:
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: Belarusian: Радзіма, мая дарагая, Russian: Russian: Родина моя дорогая) by and Ales Bachyla.
Radio Habana Cuba: Melody of "March of the 26th of July" (Spanish; Castilian: La Marcha del 26 de Julio) by Agustín Díaz Cartaya.
DR P1: "Drømte mig en drøm i nat", played on xylophone.[1]
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.
Voice of Greece: "The Little Shepherd" (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Ο Τσομπανάκος), played on floghera.[2]
All India Radio: A tune composed by Walter Kaufmann or Thakur Balwant Singh, used since 1936.[3]
Radio Republik Indonesia: "Solace on Coconut Island" (Indonesian: Rayuan Pulau Kelapa), composed by Ismail Marzuki. Interval signals may vary by province.
RTÉ Radio 1: Chime version of "O'Donnell Forever" (Irish: [[O'Donnell Abú]]).[4]
Radio Japan:
RTL Radio: "De Feierwon" by Michel Lentz, played on chimes.[5]
Voice of Mongolia: "Motherland" (Mongolian: Эх орон).
Radio New Zealand International: The call of a New Zealand bellbird
Radio Pakistan: A tune composed by Khwaja Khursheed Anwar.
Radio Romania International: The first nine notes of “Pui de lei", lyrics by Ioan S. Nenițescu and song by
Radio Slovenia: Electronically generated cuckoo chirping.
Radio Ukraine International: "" (Ukrainian: Реве та стогне Дніпр широкий).
Radio Tirana: Këputa një gjethe dafine (transmission intro) and the trumpet version of With Pickaxe and Rifle.
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. Ö1: Three notes signifying O–R–F by Werner Pirchner, played on viola.[6]
RTBF International: .
Rádio Nacional: Luar do Sertão ("Hinterlands Moonlight").
Radio Canada International: First four notes of O Canada, played on piano or autoharp.
Radio Peking (predecessor of China Radio International): Chimes version of 东方红 ("The East Is Red").
Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: Avkoritsa by Andreas Mappouras, played on guitar
Yle Radio 1: Pim-pam-pulla by A. O. Väisänen.[7] Radio France Internationale: Trumpet version of a popular song, . Deutschlandfunk: Celesta version of Dir, Land voll Lieb' und Leben from "Ich hab' mich ergeben" by Hans Ferdinand Maßmann.[8]
Radio Budapest: Excerpts from the suite 1848 by T.K. Polgar played on three trumpets and two cornets.
Kol Yisrael: Trumpet and drum version of Hatikvah.
Rai Italia Radio: Mechanically generated canary chirping.
Trans World Radio: Hymne Monégasque Radio Bucharest 1 and Radio Bucharest External Service (pre 1989): Fragment from Cantata anilor luminǎ by Anatol Vieru
Radio Serbia: Bože pravde.
Radio Slovakia International: Kto za pravdu horí.
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.[15]
Voice of Turkey: Turkish makam, played on piano.
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 bandClassical 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)
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.