# Beep

This article or section is a candidate for merging with Disable PC speaker beep.

Notes: ...and rename to PC speaker? (Discuss in Talk:Beep#)

Beep is an advanced PC speaker beeping program. It is useful for situations where no sound card and/or speakers are available, and simple audio notification is desired.

## Installation

Install the beep package.

## Configuration

### Access for non-root users

By default `beep` will fail if not run by the root. Other users may call it using sudo. To let group `users` call `sudo beep` without a password (for example to use it in scripts), `/etc/sudoers` should be edited:

    %users ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/beep

or, to let only a single user do that:

    username ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/beep

Another way is setting the sticky bit on `/usr/bin/beep`:

    # chmod 4755 /usr/bin/beep

Note however that this way anyone can execute `/usr/bin/beep` with root permissions. The change also creates a difference between local copy and the package, which will be reported by `pacman -Qkk`.

### Unmuting in alsamixer

You should also unmute the Beep channel using `alsamixer`.

    $ alsamixer

You may need to press `F6` and select your card. scroll to the Beep channel using the arrow keys and press `M` to unmute the channel. notice that the "MM" label below the channel will change to "00". you can also use `↑` to increase the volume of the channel.

Press `Esc` to close alsamixer.

You can also save your settings to ALSA Mixer to make it permanent:

    # alsactl -f /var/lib/alsa/asound.state store

## Tips and Tricks

While many people are happy with the traditional beep sound, some may like to change its properties a bit. The following example plays slighly higher and shorter sound and repeats it two times.

    # beep -f 5000 -l 50 -r 2

## See also

- Advanced Linux Sound Architecture

Category:

- Sound

Hidden category:

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