Firstly, you'll be wondering "What is RTTL"? Well, I'll give you the answer...

RTTL stands for Ring-Tone Text Language and was used before smartphones to allow cool ringtones. It is very versatile as it can play any note.

Next, you will be wondering how you get your arduino to play them...

I will show you!

I got my arduino today and was tinkering when I found this amazing idea for an instructable!

Step 1: Download the Arduino IDE

If you haven't already, download the arduino IDE! You wont be able to upload code to your arduino if you don't. I've done it already as show by the picture.

Step 2: Check Your Arduino Libraries Folder!

Check your arduino libraries folder for the 'Tone' Library. If you already have it, you can skip the next step.. But if you don't read on as it is essential!

Step 3: Download the Library!

Go to this page: https://code.google.com/p/rogue-code/wiki/ToneLibr...

and download the library!

extract the zipped folder into your Arduino/libraries folder.

if you don't the IDE might not be able to find it and you may get errors!

Step 4: Copy and Paste This Into the IDE!

// A fun sketch to demonstrate the use of the tone() function written by Brett Hagman.

// This plays RTTTL (RingTone Text Transfer Language) songs using the
// now built-in tone() command in Wiring and Arduino.
// Written by Brett Hagman
//  http://www.roguerobotics.com/


// To play the output on a small speaker (i.e. 8 Ohms or higher), simply use
// a 1K Ohm resistor from the output pin to the speaker, and connect the other
// side of the speaker to ground.

// You can get more RTTTL songs from
//  http://www.roguerobotics.com/


const int tonePin = 8;  // for rEDI board
//const int tonePin = 13;  // arbitrary for arduino boards, set this to whatever you want

#define OCTAVE_OFFSET 0

// These values can also be found as constants in the Tone library (Tone.h)
int notes[] = { 0,
262, 277, 294, 311, 330, 349, 370, 392, 415, 440, 466, 494,
523, 554, 587, 622, 659, 698, 740, 784, 831, 880, 932, 988,
1047, 1109, 1175, 1245, 1319, 1397, 1480, 1568, 1661, 1760, 1865, 1976,
2093, 2217, 2349, 2489, 2637, 2794, 2960, 3136, 3322, 3520, 3729, 3951
};

char *song = "GeorgeofthejungleTheme:d=4,o=6,b=127:f5,p,p,c5,p,p,f5,p,f5,p,f5,a5,p,c,p,f5,p,f5,p,g5,g5,p,a5,p,p,p,f5,f5,f5,f5,g5,g5,p,f5,p,p,p,f";
//char *song = "OneMoreT:d=16,o=5,b=125:4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,8p,4d#.,4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,8p,4d#.,4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,8p,4d#.,4f#,4f#,4f#,4f#,4f#,4f#,8f#,4d#.,4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,8p,4d#.,4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,4e,8p,4d#.,1f#,2f#";
//char *song = "The Simpsons:d=4,o=5,b=160:c.6,e6,f#6,8a6,g.6,e6,c6,8a,8f#,8f#,8f#,2g,8p,8p,8f#,8f#,8f#,8g,a#.,8c6,8c6,8c6,c6";
//char *song = "Indiana:d=4,o=5,b=250:e,8p,8f,8g,8p,1c6,8p.,d,8p,8e,1f,p.,g,8p,8a,8b,8p,1f6,p,a,8p,8b,2c6,2d6,2e6,e,8p,8f,8g,8p,1c6,p,d6,8p,8e6,1f.6,g,8p,8g,e.6,8p,d6,8p,8g,e.6,8p,d6,8p,8g,f.6,8p,e6,8p,8d6,2c6";
//char *song = "TakeOnMe:d=4,o=4,b=160:8f#5,8f#5,8f#5,8d5,8p,8b,8p,8e5,8p,8e5,8p,8e5,8g#5,8g#5,8a5,8b5,8a5,8a5,8a5,8e5,8p,8d5,8p,8f#5,8p,8f#5,8p,8f#5,8e5,8e5,8f#5,8e5,8f#5,8f#5,8f#5,8d5,8p,8b,8p,8e5,8p,8e5,8p,8e5,8g#5,8g#5,8a5,8b5,8a5,8a5,8a5,8e5,8p,8d5,8p,8f#5,8p,8f#5,8p,8f#5,8e5,8e5";
//char *song = "Entertainer:d=4,o=5,b=140:8d,8d#,8e,c6,8e,c6,8e,2c.6,8c6,8d6,8d#6,8e6,8c6,8d6,e6,8b,d6,2c6,p,8d,8d#,8e,c6,8e,c6,8e,2c.6,8p,8a,8g,8f#,8a,8c6,e6,8d6,8c6,8a,2d6";
//char *song = "Muppets:d=4,o=5,b=250:c6,c6,a,b,8a,b,g,p,c6,c6,a,8b,8a,8p,g.,p,e,e,g,f,8e,f,8c6,8c,8d,e,8e,8e,8p,8e,g,2p,c6,c6,a,b,8a,b,g,p,c6,c6,a,8b,a,g.,p,e,e,g,f,8e,f,8c6,8c,8d,e,8e,d,8d,c";
//char *song = "Xfiles:d=4,o=5,b=125:e,b,a,b,d6,2b.,1p,e,b,a,b,e6,2b.,1p,g6,f#6,e6,d6,e6,2b.,1p,g6,f#6,e6,d6,f#6,2b.,1p,e,b,a,b,d6,2b.,1p,e,b,a,b,e6,2b.,1p,e6,2b.";
//char *song = "Looney:d=4,o=5,b=140:32p,c6,8f6,8e6,8d6,8c6,a.,8c6,8f6,8e6,8d6,8d#6,e.6,8e6,8e6,8c6,8d6,8c6,8e6,8c6,8d6,8a,8c6,8g,8a#,8a,8f";
//char *song = "20thCenFox:d=16,o=5,b=140:b,8p,b,b,2b,p,c6,32p,b,32p,c6,32p,b,32p,c6,32p,b,8p,b,b,b,32p,b,32p,b,32p,b,32p,b,32p,b,32p,b,32p,g#,32p,a,32p,b,8p,b,b,2b,4p,8e,8g#,8b,1c#6,8f#,8a,8c#6,1e6,8a,8c#6,8e6,1e6,8b,8g#,8a,2b";
//char *song = "Bond:d=4,o=5,b=80:32p,16c#6,32d#6,32d#6,16d#6,8d#6,16c#6,16c#6,16c#6,16c#6,32e6,32e6,16e6,8e6,16d#6,16d#6,16d#6,16c#6,32d#6,32d#6,16d#6,8d#6,16c#6,16c#6,16c#6,16c#6,32e6,32e6,16e6,8e6,16d#6,16d6,16c#6,16c#7,c.7,16g#6,16f#6,g#.6";
//char *song = "MASH:d=8,o=5,b=140:4a,4g,f#,g,p,f#,p,g,p,f#,p,2e.,p,f#,e,4f#,e,f#,p,e,p,4d.,p,f#,4e,d,e,p,d,p,e,p,d,p,2c#.,p,d,c#,4d,c#,d,p,e,p,4f#,p,a,p,4b,a,b,p,a,p,b,p,2a.,4p,a,b,a,4b,a,b,p,2a.,a,4f#,a,b,p,d6,p,4e.6,d6,b,p,a,p,2b";
//char *song = "StarWars:d=4,o=5,b=45:32p,32f#,32f#,32f#,8b.,8f#.6,32e6,32d#6,32c#6,8b.6,16f#.6,32e6,32d#6,32c#6,8b.6,16f#.6,32e6,32d#6,32e6,8c#.6,32f#,32f#,32f#,8b.,8f#.6,32e6,32d#6,32c#6,8b.6,16f#.6,32e6,32d#6,32c#6,8b.6,16f#.6,32e6,32d#6,32e6,8c#6";
//char *song = "GoodBad:d=4,o=5,b=56:32p,32a#,32d#6,32a#,32d#6,8a#.,16f#.,16g#.,d#,32a#,32d#6,32a#,32d#6,8a#.,16f#.,16g#.,c#6,32a#,32d#6,32a#,32d#6,8a#.,16f#.,32f.,32d#.,c#,32a#,32d#6,32a#,32d#6,8a#.,16g#.,d#";
//char *song = "TopGun:d=4,o=4,b=31:32p,16c#,16g#,16g#,32f#,32f,32f#,32f,16d#,16d#,32c#,32d#,16f,32d#,32f,16f#,32f,32c#,16f,d#,16c#,16g#,16g#,32f#,32f,32f#,32f,16d#,16d#,32c#,32d#,16f,32d#,32f,16f#,32f,32c#,g#";
//char *song = "A-Team:d=8,o=5,b=125:4d#6,a#,2d#6,16p,g#,4a#,4d#.,p,16g,16a#,d#6,a#,f6,2d#6,16p,c#.6,16c6,16a#,g#.,2a#";
//char *song = "Flinstones:d=4,o=5,b=40:32p,16f6,16a#,16a#6,32g6,16f6,16a#.,16f6,32d#6,32d6,32d6,32d#6,32f6,16a#,16c6,d6,16f6,16a#.,16a#6,32g6,16f6,16a#.,32f6,32f6,32d#6,32d6,32d6,32d#6,32f6,16a#,16c6,a#,16a6,16d.6,16a#6,32a6,32a6,32g6,32f#6,32a6,8g6,16g6,16c.6,32a6,32a6,32g6,32g6,32f6,32e6,32g6,8f6,16f6,16a#.,16a#6,32g6,16f6,16a#.,16f6,32d#6,32d6,32d6,32d#6,32f6,16a#,16c.6,32d6,32d#6,32f6,16a#,16c.6,32d6,32d#6,32f6,16a#6,16c7,8a#.6";
//char *song = "Jeopardy:d=4,o=6,b=125:c,f,c,f5,c,f,2c,c,f,c,f,a.,8g,8f,8e,8d,8c#,c,f,c,f5,c,f,2c,f.,8d,c,a#5,a5,g5,f5,p,d#,g#,d#,g#5,d#,g#,2d#,d#,g#,d#,g#,c.7,8a#,8g#,8g,8f,8e,d#,g#,d#,g#5,d#,g#,2d#,g#.,8f,d#,c#,c,p,a#5,p,g#.5,d#,g#";
//char *song = "Gadget:d=16,o=5,b=50:32d#,32f,32f#,32g#,a#,f#,a,f,g#,f#,32d#,32f,32f#,32g#,a#,d#6,4d6,32d#,32f,32f#,32g#,a#,f#,a,f,g#,f#,8d#";
//char *song = "Smurfs:d=32,o=5,b=200:4c#6,16p,4f#6,p,16c#6,p,8d#6,p,8b,p,4g#,16p,4c#6,p,16a#,p,8f#,p,8a#,p,4g#,4p,g#,p,a#,p,b,p,c6,p,4c#6,16p,4f#6,p,16c#6,p,8d#6,p,8b,p,4g#,16p,4c#6,p,16a#,p,8b,p,8f,p,4f#";
//char *song = "MahnaMahna:d=16,o=6,b=125:c#,c.,b5,8a#.5,8f.,4g#,a#,g.,4d#,8p,c#,c.,b5,8a#.5,8f.,g#.,8a#.,4g,8p,c#,c.,b5,8a#.5,8f.,4g#,f,g.,8d#.,f,g.,8d#.,f,8g,8d#.,f,8g,d#,8c,a#5,8d#.,8d#.,4d#,8d#.";
//char *song = "LeisureSuit:d=16,o=6,b=56:f.5,f#.5,g.5,g#5,32a#5,f5,g#.5,a#.5,32f5,g#5,32a#5,g#5,8c#.,a#5,32c#,a5,a#.5,c#.,32a5,a#5,32c#,d#,8e,c#.,f.,f.,f.,f.,f,32e,d#,8d,a#.5,e,32f,e,32f,c#,d#.,c#";
//char *song = "DangerMo:d=4,o=5,b=355:a.,8g,a,8a,p,8a4,8p,d,p,a.,8g,a,8a,p,8a4,8p,d,p,a,a,a#,a#,a#,a#,a#,a#,a#,c6,2a,p,8a4,8p,d,p,a.,8g,a,8a,p,8a4,8p,d,p,a.,8g,a,8a,p,8a4,8p,d,p,a,a,a#,a#,a#,a#,a#,a#,a#,c6,2d6,p,8a4,8p,d,p,a.,8a,2a#.,8a#4,8p,d#,2p,a#,2a#,2f#,2d#,a#.,8a#,2b.,8b4,8p,e,2p,b,2b,2g,2e,b.,8d6,1e.6,e6,8e6,8e";
//char *song = "MissionImp:d=16,o=6,b=95:32d,32d#,32d,32d#,32d,32d#,32d,32d#,32d,32d,32d#,32e,32f,32f#,32g,g,8p,g,8p,a#,p,c7,p,g,8p,g,8p,f,p,f#,p,g,8p,g,8p,a#,p,c7,p,g,8p,g,8p,f,p,f#,p,a#,g,2d,32p,a#,g,2c#,32p,a#,g,2c,a#5,8c,2p,32p,a#5,g5,2f#,32p,a#5,g5,2f,32p,a#5,g5,2e,d#,8d";

void setup(void)
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

#define isdigit(n) (n >= '0' && n <= '9')

void play_rtttl(char *p)
{
  // Absolutely no error checking in here

  byte default_dur = 4;
  byte default_oct = 6;
  int bpm = 63;
  int num;
  long wholenote;
  long duration;
  byte note;
  byte scale;

  // format: d=N,o=N,b=NNN:
  // find the start (skip name, etc)

  while(*p != ':') p++;    // ignore name
  p++;                     // skip ':'

  // get default duration
  if(*p == 'd')
  {
    p++; p++;              // skip "d="
    num = 0;
    while(isdigit(*p))
    {
      num = (num * 10) + (*p++ - '0');
    }
    if(num > 0) default_dur = num;
    p++;                   // skip comma
  }

  Serial.print("ddur: "); Serial.println(default_dur, 10);

  // get default octave
  if(*p == 'o')
  {
    p++; p++;              // skip "o="
    num = *p++ - '0';
    if(num >= 3 && num <=7) default_oct = num;
    p++;                   // skip comma
  }

  Serial.print("doct: "); Serial.println(default_oct, 10);

  // get BPM
  if(*p == 'b')
  {
    p++; p++;              // skip "b="
    num = 0;
    while(isdigit(*p))
    {
      num = (num * 10) + (*p++ - '0');
    }
    bpm = num;
    p++;                   // skip colon
  }

  Serial.print("bpm: "); Serial.println(bpm, 10);

  // BPM usually expresses the number of quarter notes per minute
  wholenote = (60 * 1000L / bpm) * 4;  // this is the time for whole note (in milliseconds)

  Serial.print("wn: "); Serial.println(wholenote, 10);


  // now begin note loop
  while(*p)
  {
    // first, get note duration, if available
    num = 0;
    while(isdigit(*p))
    {
      num = (num * 10) + (*p++ - '0');
    }
    
    if(num) duration = wholenote / num;
    else duration = wholenote / default_dur;  // we will need to check if we are a dotted note after

    // now get the note
    note = 0;

    switch(*p)
    {
      case 'c':
        note = 1;
        break;
      case 'd':
        note = 3;
        break;
      case 'e':
        note = 5;
        break;
      case 'f':
        note = 6;
        break;
      case 'g':
        note = 8;
        break;
      case 'a':
        note = 10;
        break;
      case 'b':
        note = 12;
        break;
      case 'p':
      default:
        note = 0;
    }
    p++;

    // now, get optional '#' sharp
    if(*p == '#')
    {
      note++;
      p++;
    }

    // now, get optional '.' dotted note
    if(*p == '.')
    {
      duration += duration/2;
      p++;
    }
  
    // now, get scale
    if(isdigit(*p))
    {
      scale = *p - '0';
      p++;
    }
    else
    {
      scale = default_oct;
    }

    scale += OCTAVE_OFFSET;

    if(*p == ',')
      p++;       // skip comma for next note (or we may be at the end)

    // now play the note

    if(note)
    {
      Serial.print("Playing: ");
      Serial.print(scale, 10); Serial.print(' ');
      Serial.print(note, 10); Serial.print(" (");
      Serial.print(notes[(scale - 4) * 12 + note], 10);
      Serial.print(") ");
      Serial.println(duration, 10);
      tone(tonePin, notes[(scale - 4) * 12 + note]);
      delay(duration);
      noTone(tonePin);
    }
    else
    {
      Serial.print("Pausing: ");
      Serial.println(duration, 10);
      delay(duration);
    }
  }
}

void loop(void)
{
  play_rtttl(song);
  Serial.println("Done.");
  while(1);
}

If this is done properly it should compile without any errors!

Step 5: The Circuit

You won't be able to actually hear anything if you haven't made the circuit so lets make it!

You will need:

An Arduino
An 8 ohm speaker
A 1K resistor
Jumper wires
Optional: A 10K potentiometer

The potentiometer is optional as what is does is control the volume level of the loudspeaker

Also the + terminal on the speaker is able to go to any of the digital pins.

Step 6: Change the Tune!

If you want to change tunes, remove the double slash ("//") from the front of it and add them to the one that you were using before.

Step 7: Finding More Tunes and Themes!

The ones that came with the code are only a small number of what is available. A good place to look for more is the PICAXE website. PICAXE is another make of microcontroller. Here you can download thousands in a zip folder and add them by copying the contents of the one you want. You have to also add "char *song =" and add speech marks around the copied material. Also add a semicolon to the end as this means that it doesn't need to be added when you want to use the tune. When not using them remember to add a double slash to the start!

I would recommend using the one with 10,000 tunes as this means you have a lot to choose from!