How to replace the windows `beep` sound

[glenn9]

Hi Everyone,

I`m conscious that I`ve not been on the forum for quite some time but am still regularly livecoding, not quite on a daily basis, but almost! My daughter is now also starting to learn LC, and has got herself a subscription!

A new project I`m interested in is seeing how far I can take livecode for generating music. I`ve therefore set up a very simple app that generates beeps, roughly according to some simple music theory principles, so that the pitches etc sound reasonable together.

However, I`m now wanting to replace the (windows) `beep` sound with something a little nicer, eg something like a piano note!

Athough I guess not strictly a LC issue, I was wanting to ask if anyone was able to share how to do this!

Regards,

Glenn

[stam]

However, I`m now wanting to replace the (windows) `beep` sound with something a little nicer, eg something like a piano note!
Athough I guess not strictly a LC issue, I was wanting to ask if anyone was able to share how to do this!

Buy a Mac



Really just kidding lol - I think you have to use the control panel to chose a sound. But it's been many years since I bothered...

[glenn9]

I`m tempted... but....!

Have tried almost everything I can find to adjust on the control panel, and also checked online for answers as well, but no success so far...

[stam]

I have some vague recollection I could right-click on the sound icon in the taskbar and access it from there, but can’t check right now…

[SparkOut]

There are various ways to get there but a quick way:

Press Windows key+R to bring up the Run box

Type "control mmsys.cpl,,2" and hit enter. (Don't include the quotes but do include the double commas.)

This will open the Windows Sound properties opened on the Sound Scheme tab where you can "Save As" a new sound scheme and edit the default Windows sounds as desired.

Although I feel this will not be very helpful if your intention is to play music just using the LC "beep" command. You'd need to import audioclips to play sounds with a variety of pitches, or move to a full "player" to get more choice of the beep pitches.

[AndyP]

I think the only way to achieve this would be to replace the wav files normally found here C:\Windows\Media

[SparkOut]

You can save a new sound scheme with your own imported sounds, as I mentioned above. You have to save the scheme, then choose each alert notification type, and browse to the sound file you want the OS to play when that alert notification is triggered.
I just don't see that playing an individual beep is going to "make music".

[stam]

Guys - I may be a bit dense on Win-related stuff but all the above seem unnecessarily convoluted. I can't see a need to either use a Run command or replace actual files in the OS.

I had a quick look at my work PC as I'm on call again today. In short:
Right-click on the speaker icon in the taskbar, click "sounds", locate the sound you want to replace (eg "Default beep") and click Browse to use a different sound file.


Opening the Sound control panel

• Quickest is by right-clicking on the speaker icon in the taskbar and click "Sounds", which opens directly to the sounds tab
• This is also accessible via settings (in the Win search type sound and it launches the sound settings. On the right, 2nd link down is the Sound control panel, then click the Sounds tab.
• This is also available on the old-style control panel - search Win for control panel, then in that window search for sound. Click on the Sounds tab.

In the Sounds tab
Probably best to keep a back up of existing sounds: click on save as, the button next to the "Sound Scheme" and save a backup. You can then either just modify the 'Windows default' or create your own scheme: In the individual sound you want to replace, click on the name of the sound in the list then click 'Browse' to replace it. Once done, do a 'Save As' (I can't see a 'Save' button)

[SparkOut]

Uh, that's what I said.
And there are many ways to reach that interface. Using a typed command was simpler to describe than trying to lead someone through "click that,tab that".

The point I wanted to stress is that replacing a default Windows beep isn't going to "make music" which is what the OP wanted to do.

[stam]

Uh, that's what I said.
And there are many ways to reach that interface. Using a typed command was simpler to describe than trying to lead someone through "click that,tab that".

Umm... what you said was

Press Windows key+R to bring up the Run box

Type "control mmsys.cpl,,2" and hit enter. (Don't include the quotes but do include the double commas.)

My point is it's much easier/simpler to just right-click on the speaker icon and click "Sounds" (as opposed to hitting the windows key, typing a command you hopefully remember etc).

The point I wanted to stress is that replacing a default Windows beep isn't going to "make music" which is what the OP wanted to do.

Perhaps I misunderstood. What I read was:

However, I`m now wanting to replace the (windows) `beep` sound with something a little nicer, eg something like a piano note!

Not how to use the Windows "beep" to make music. Perhaps I mis-read.

If the intention is to generate tones for music this way, that won't happen. Or at least it shouldn't!
in that case, a better option would be something like Paul McClernan's piano widget (although not sure if/how this works with the change in licensing - presumably it should be fine to use with commercial version of LC: https://github.com/PaulMcClernan/OpenXTalk-Piano-Widget

But that may be Mac-only, I'm not sure...

[SparkOut]

I said

There are various ways to get there but a quick way:

Press Windows key+R to bring up the Run box

Type "control mmsys.cpl,,2" and hit enter. (Don't include the quotes but do include the double commas.)

As I said, one way, and a quick way. Anyone used to using terminal would probably agree. Loads of other ways are perfectly valid. None necessarily better than any other. This was useful in the context of the forum.

I also said

This will open the Windows Sound properties opened on the Sound Scheme tab where you can "Save As" a new sound scheme and edit the default Windows sounds as desired.

So I advised saving a new sound scheme to edit, to make it easy to revert to Windows defaults when desired. Other than that, same advice.

The OP

A new project I`m interested in is seeing how far I can take livecode for generating music. I`ve therefore set up a very simple app that generates beeps, roughly according to some simple music theory principles, so that the pitches etc sound reasonable together.

I didn't think you'd get "very far" making music if the plan is to use (or replace) standard beeps.

[glenn9]

Thanks everyone, have tried fiddling around with the windows sound settings and seem to have replaced the default beep with a piano.wav file - however LC seems to still want to just play the 'beep' sound.... I`ll keep on trying..... (Stam, thanks also for the tip re the Piano widget - this looks interesting). Regards Glenn

[Klaus]

Hi Glenn,

a bit late for the party, but did you take a look at the "beepsound" entry in the dictionary?
Sounds like this might be helpful, but maybe not...


Best

Klaus