Ring Tone Transfer Language
Encyclopedia
Ring Tone Text Transfer Language (RTTTL) was developed by Nokia
to be used to transfer ringtones to cellphone by Nokia.
The RTTTL format is a string divided into three sections: name, default value, and data.
The name section consists of a string describing the name of the ringtone. It can be no longer than 10 characters, and cannot contain a colon ":" character.
The default value section is a set of values separated by commas, where each value contains a key and a value separated by an = character, which describes certain defaults which should be adhered to during the execution of the ringtone. Possible names are
The data section consists of a set of character strings separated by commas, where each string contains a duration, pitch, octave and optional dotting (which increases the duration of the note by one half).
The format of RTTTL notation is similar to the Music Macro Language
found in BASIC
implementations present on many early microcomputers.
For example, here is the RTTTL ringtone for Haunted House:
The three parts are separated by a colon.
Dotted
rhythm
patterns can be formed by appending a period (".") character to the end of a duration/beat/octave element.
s audibly. These octaves are numbered from lowest pitch to highest pitch from 4 to 7.
The octave
should be left out of the notation in the case of a rest or pause in the pattern.
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
to be used to transfer ringtones to cellphone by Nokia.
The RTTTL format is a string divided into three sections: name, default value, and data.
The name section consists of a string describing the name of the ringtone. It can be no longer than 10 characters, and cannot contain a colon ":" character.
The default value section is a set of values separated by commas, where each value contains a key and a value separated by an = character, which describes certain defaults which should be adhered to during the execution of the ringtone. Possible names are
- d - duration
- o - octaveOctaveIn music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
- b - beatBeat (music)The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
, tempoTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
The data section consists of a set of character strings separated by commas, where each string contains a duration, pitch, octave and optional dotting (which increases the duration of the note by one half).
The format of RTTTL notation is similar to the Music Macro Language
Music Macro Language
Music Macro Language is a music description language used in sequencing music on a number of computer and video game system platforms.MML is also sometimes known as Music Markup Language, by conflation with the XML musical notation markup language of that name...
found in BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
implementations present on many early microcomputers.
Technical specification
To be recognized by ringtone programs, an RTTTL/Nokring format ringtone must contain three specific elements: name, settings, and notes.For example, here is the RTTTL ringtone for Haunted House:
HauntedHouse: d=4,o=5,b=108: 2a4, 2e, 2d#, 2b4, 2a4, 2c, 2d, 2a#4, 2e., e, 1f4, 1a4, 1d#, 2e., d, 2c., b4, 1a4, 1p, 2a4, 2e, 2d#, 2b4, 2a4, 2c, 2d, 2a#4, 2e., e, 1f4, 1a4, 1d#, 2e., d, 2c., b4, 1a4The three parts are separated by a colon.
- Part 1: name of the ringtone (here: "HauntedHouse"), a string of characters represents the name of the ringtone
- Part 2: settings (here: d=4,o=5,b=108), where "d=" is the default duration of a note. In this case, the "4" means that each note with no duration specifier (see below) is by default considered a quarter noteQuarter noteA quarter note or crotchet is a note played for one quarter of the duration of a whole note . Often people will say that a crotchet is one beat, however, this is not always correct, as the beat is indicated by the time signature of the music; a quarter note may or may not be the beat...
. "8" would mean an eighth noteEighth notethumb|180px|right|Figure 1. An eighth note with stem facing up, an eighth note with stem facing down, and an eighth rest.thumb|right|180px|Figure 2. Four eighth notes beamed together....
, and so on. Accordingly, "o=" is the default octaveOctaveIn music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
. There are four octaves in the Nokring/RTTTL format. And "b=" is the tempoTempoIn musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
, in "beats per minute". - Part 3: the notes. Each note is separated by a comma and includes, in sequence: a duration specifier, a standard music note, either a, b, c, d, e, f or g, and an octave specifier. If no duration or octave specifier are present, the default applies.
Durations
Standard musical durations are denoted by the following notations:- 1 - whole noteWhole notethumb|right|250px|Figure 1. A whole note and a whole rest.In music, a whole note or semibreve is a note represented by a hollow oval note head, like a half note , and no note stem . Its length is equal to four beats in 4/4 time...
- 2 - half noteHalf noteIn music, a half note or minim is a note played for half the duration of a whole note and twice the duration of a quarter note...
- 4 - quarter noteQuarter noteA quarter note or crotchet is a note played for one quarter of the duration of a whole note . Often people will say that a crotchet is one beat, however, this is not always correct, as the beat is indicated by the time signature of the music; a quarter note may or may not be the beat...
- 8 - eighth noteEighth notethumb|180px|right|Figure 1. An eighth note with stem facing up, an eighth note with stem facing down, and an eighth rest.thumb|right|180px|Figure 2. Four eighth notes beamed together....
- 16 - sixteenth noteSixteenth notethumb|right|Figure 1. A sixteenth note with stem facing up, a sixteenth note with stem facing down, and a sixteenth rest.thumb|right|Figure 2. Four sixteenth notes beamed together....
- 32 - thirty-second noteThirty-second noteIn music, a thirty-second note or demisemiquaver is a note played for 1/32 of the duration of a whole note...
Dotted
Dotted note
In Western musical notation, a dotted note is a note with a small dot written after it. The dot increases the duration of the basic note by half of its original value. If the basic note lasts 2 beats, the corresponding dotted note lasts 3 beats...
rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
patterns can be formed by appending a period (".") character to the end of a duration/beat/octave element.
Pitch
- P - rest or pause
- A - A
- A# - A# / Bb
- B - B / Cb
- C - C
- C# - C# / Db
- D - D
- D# - D# / Eb
- E - E / Fb
- F - F / E#
- F# - F# / Gb
- G - G
- G# - G# / Ab
Octave
The RTTTL format allows octaves starting from the A below middle C and going up four octaves. This corresponds with the inability of cellphones to reproduce certain tonePitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
s audibly. These octaves are numbered from lowest pitch to highest pitch from 4 to 7.
The octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
should be left out of the notation in the case of a rest or pause in the pattern.
Example
An example of the RTTTL format would be
fifth:d=4,o=5,b=63:8P,8G5,8G5,8G5,2D#5