Interval signal

The interval signal of Voice of Turkey in 2013.

An interval signal, or tuning signal, is a characteristic sound or musical phrase used in international broadcasting and by some domestic broadcasters, played before commencement or during breaks in transmission, but most commonly between programmes in different languages. It serves several purposes:

It assists a listener to tune his or her radio to the correct frequency of the station. This is because most older and cheaper radio receivers do not have digital frequency readout.
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 USA, where jingles were used as identification.

Broadcasting services and interval signals

BBC World Service: Bow Bells (English programme), three notes tuned B-B-C (non-English programme, non-Europe), four notes tuned B-B-B-E (non-English programme, to Europe).
China National Radio, China Radio International: Chime version of 义勇军进行曲 ("March of the Volunteers").
Voice of the Strait News Radio: Bell version of 三大纪律八项注意 ("Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention").
Deutsche Welle: Piano version of Es sucht der Bruder seine Brüder from Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Radio Australia: Chimes version of Waltzing Matilda (chorus).
Radio Belarus: Radzima maja darahaja ("My dear Motherland").
Radio Canada International: First four notes of O Canada, played on piano or autoharp.
Radio France Internationale: Electronic-disco, culminating in the last 8 measures of La Marseillaise.
Radio Japan: Kazoe-uta (Japanese counting song), さくらさくら ("Sakura Sakura" - Cherry Blossoms).
KBS World Radio: Dawn.
Radio Habana Cuba: Melody of the La Marcha del 26 de Julio ("March of the 26th of July").
Radio Netherlands: Chime version of the Eighty Years' War song Merck toch hoe sterck.
Radio New Zealand International: The call of a New Zealand bellbird.
Radio Republik Indonesia: Rayuan Pulau Kelapa ("Solace on Coconut Island"), composed by Ismail Marzuki.
RTÉ Radio 1: Chime version of O'Donnell Abú ("O'Donnell Forever").^[1]
Radio Slovenia: Electronically generated cuckoo chirping.
Radio Sweden: Chime version of Ut i vida världen ("Out in the Wide World"), composed by Ralph Lundsten.^[2]
Radio Ukraine International: Reve ta stohne Dnipr shyrokyi.
Vatican Radio: Christus Vincit, played on flute.
Voice of America: Brass band version of Yankee Doodle.
Voice of Korea: Melody of 김일성장군의 노래 ("Song of General Kim Il-sung").
Far East Broadcasting Company: Lord Jesus to Save Sinners.
Ö1: Three notes tuned O-R-F, played on viola.
RTL Radio: Feierwon by Michel Lentz, played on chimes.^[3]
DR P1: Drømte mig en drøm i nat, played on xylophone.^[4]
Polish Radio External Service: Excerpt from Prząśniczka by Stanisław Moniuszko, played on piano.^[5]
Voice of Mongolia: Эх орон ("Motherland").
Trans World Radio: What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
Radiodifusión Argentina al Exterior: First eight notes of Mi Buenos Aires querido by Carlos Gardel.
Radio Nacional de Venezuela - Canal Internacional: Beginning of Alma Llanera by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez and Rafael Bolívar.

Formerly used

Radio Austria International: Orchestral version of An der schönen blauen Donau ("Blue Danube Waltz") by Johann Strauss.^[6]
Radio Berlin International: Beginning of Auferstanden aus Ruinen ("Risen from Ruins"), played on chimes.
Radio France Internationale: Trumpet version of a popular song Nous n'irons plus au bois.^[6]
Radio Peking (predecessor of China Radio International): Chimes version of 东方红 ("The East Is Red").
Radio Moscow (former international service of the Soviet Union): Песня о Родине ("Wide Is My Motherland"); Midnight in Moscow, played by balalaika.
Radio Norway International (former international service of NRK): Ancient folk tune from the Hallingdal region.^[7]
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]^[8]
Radio Sweden: Opening notes of Carl Michael Bellman's Storm och böljor tystna r'en.^[6]
Radio Tirana: Trumpet version of With Pickaxe and Rifle.
Radio Polonia: Piano version of Etude No. 12 ("Revolutionary Etude") by Frédéric Chopin.
Radio Prague: Trumpet version of Kupředu levá ("Forward, Left"); Adagio – Allegro molto from Symphony No. 9 by Dvořák.
Radio Yugoslavia, later International Radio of Serbia and Montenegro: Jugoslavijo.
Rai Italia Radio: Mechanically generated canary chirping.
Deutschlandfunk: Celesta version of Dir, Land voll Lieb' und Leben from "Ich hab mich ergeben" by Hans Ferdinand Maßmann.^[9]
Voice of Russia: "Majestic" chorus from the "Great Gate of Kiev" portion of Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky.
Voice of Turkey: Makam, played on piano.
Radio Serbia: Bože pravde.
Rádio Nacional: Luar do Sertão.
Radio Mayak: Vibraphone version of Moscow Nights.
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).^[10]
NPO: First seven notes of Wilhelmus, played on clarinet (Radio 1 and Radio 5), synthesizer (Radio 3), spinet (Radio 4) and carillon (Radio 2).^[11]
Berliner Rundfunk: Motif from the opera Regina by Albert Lortzing, played by trumpets.
Kol Yisrael: Trumpet and drum version of Hatikvah.
NRK P1: Motif from Sigurd Josarfal by Edward Grieg.^[12]
Radio Katowice: Sound of a hammer striking an anvil.
Radio Beromünster: Zit isch daa, played on music box.
RTBF International: Où peut-on être mieux qu’au sein de sa famille.
Radio DDR: First few bars of Wann wir schreiten Seit’ an Seit’.