How To Add Custom Horns to Loksound Decoders!

Showing off my take on the process from ripping the original audio, cutting loops to importing into lokprogrammer!
What you need- Audacity, Lokprogrammer software, clean audio and patience!

[@billjohnston3386]

Just starting out with LokSound decoder programming. This is exactly what I've been looking for. Very clearly explained. I almost think I can do this!

[@SCL3618]

Thanks for watching! It gets much easier with practice.

[@trainstorm1225]

Great tutorial! I want to add DCC and sound to my HO Thomas fleet so it’s nice that I can add sounds from the classic series.

[@davestrains6816]

Excellent how too, very interesting. Thanks for sharing. Dave

[@stephensejda5213]

Thanks much for this tutorial. I now have an authentic Nathan P01235 horn for my Amtrak E60cp electrics.

[@SCL3618]

You're welcome!

[@patrickwamsley3284]

This will be helpful for loading an authentic NKP Hudson whistle to my brass model of NKP 177.

[@jakes_trains]

I was wondering if you could show us to to make a grade crossing whistle for horn or steam?

[@boricesellers4669]

Finally! I've been waiting for a video like this for many years! Great detail without over-complicating things. Thank you for sharing this! Is the principal the same with bell sounds?

[@SCL3618]

Sorry for just now seeing this! But it should be the same principles- cut an init/exit loop of the bell turning on and off, then fill the loops with the bell ringing as desired. I've never tried it, but the sound tables look the same.

[@hoscalerailfan]

Thanks for putting this together as it's a very helpful intro guide onto how to get horns into Loksound. Unfortunetly, you didn't really cover how to get a horn to loop without any noticable popping, and for someone like me who's just getting into ESU programming, one of the biggest annoyances is following all the steps you mentioned only to find out that your horn pops a noticable amount.

[@SCL3618]

That part comes down to practice and personal tuning preference. Also note the video has some age on it, have improved the technique since then. This is the process that was shown to me, the rest you really learn by trial and error, because it won't be perfect every time.

[@natetoews2421]

Something I was thinking about doing with my esu decoders was adding echo and reverb to the horn and traction moter sounds

[@caseyjones745]

Great instructions for a very complicated procedure. Thank you. Have you ever created a Grade Crossing Horn Sequence or seen one for LokSound? Soundtraxx Tsunami includes it on the F3 function button. It is very convenient.

[@SCL3618]

I believe someone created the logic to simulate a grade crossing, otherwise I just do the sequence manually. I very rarely used it on Tsunami decoders, preferring to do it myself. Thanks for watching!

[@caseyjones745]

I copied a Horn Crossing Sequence Sound Project from an Amtrak P42 to my ET44 Project file. It works, but is no quick and easy task. I am surprised that more LokSound modelers do not use the grade crossing auto horn. It is very useful when running continuous trains, (such as a Club Open House), on a large club layout with multiple crossings.@@SCL3618

[@rcsrailfaningproductions7418]

How do you use lokprogrammer

[@lhsboyproductions3446]

How do you make the loop effect? 7:56 Never mind figured it out :) Other question. How many bytes should one of the files from audacity have? When I put the new files in the slots. The file instantly maxed out showing -40,45 space left...

[@SCL3618]

Just saw the second comment, ideally you want the cuts much less than a MB a piece. What I normally do is go through the soundfile and delete some stuff I won't use- extra horns, alerter, doors etc- to create extra space for what you're putting on there.

[@dario86707]

Buon video ,ma per fare i flussi motore in movimento come si fa su Lokprogrammer? Grazie

[@tyhik9338]

How do I share the train noises on audacity?

[@robintheslavewr1513]

🤔 polar express whistle on my custom polar express? Probably thanks for showing this.

[@gabagool8]

Is there any way to test the complete sounds without having a lokprogrammer plugged in?

[@SCL3618]

You can do the sound work offline- like I did in video- but you can use the simulator feature to test out sounds. I'm not the best practiced with it, so I just covered the basic process for the video. But per getting it in your engine to see how it sounds in model, you'll need it plugged in.

[@TWIGYBNSF]

Does it work with Loksound 5 now? I've seen some others do it before? Just curious. This is a great video you did 👍

[@SCL3618]

This was done with a Lok 5, so there shouldn't be any hangups. Thanks!

[@TWIGYBNSF]

@@SCL3618 have you had people reach out to you asking if you could make custom sound files? I might need your help with something similar. Would you mind at all?

[@SCL3618]

@@TWIGYBNSF I've made a few custom horns, but that's the extent of what I've done so far. Both tutorials on here cover the basics of how I set up custom bits on each project, it's much easier than you might think.

[@TWIGYBNSF]

@@SCL3618 okay I'll give it a shot! Its however for a new steam engine that I've aqired and definitely needs a custom whistle and bell. Some folks go as far as mixing loksound files to make it work but have no clue on how to do that 😅

[@andre100BNSF]

So from what I've gathered, you have to sacrifice a horn for a horn? There's no way to add a horn to the horn pack? Great tutorial by the way!

[@SCL3618]

I did in this one, but you likely can add another horn and assign the cv within the table. I just like replacing the redundant ones for something I'm going to use more often.

[@andre100BNSF]

@@SCL3618 Ah ok, thank you!

[@AlanCSXFan]

Now make us a quill-able one.

[@slyguy-06]

How do you modify an already programmed Loksound locomotive? I can make custom horns all day but I can't modify one of my locomotives sounds or anything without opening another project? When I open the loksound application I press "modify a decoder" but I can't preview/modify any of the sounds already on the loco. Any help is appreciated!

[@SCL3618]

@@slyguy-06 You'll need a fresh soundfile for any custom sounds, but the engine will need a file re-write to get them on there. If there's any specific settings or light mapping, you can read the decoder data to the project, but it won't import sounds.

[@slyguy-06]

@@SCL3618 I see, thanks for the fast reply! Do you know if you're able to change horns out on Loksound nano 5? I was struggling trying to figure out the horn CV's for it

[@SCL3618]

@slyguy-06 Any Lok 5 file should be able to change horns by altering CV163, bells are swapped on 164.

[@trentongray1818]

Got everything in place like in the video, but when I try to write the horn onto the decoder it still plays the original horn. What am I doing wrong?

[@SCL3618]

Make sure to change CV163 to match the slot the horn is in

[@trentongray1818]

@@SCL3618 thanks I'll do that

[@parker.craig23]

is this process the same way for custom bells? or is it much different

[@SCL3618]

Essentially the same, but process is a bit different. Need the start, a clean clap for your loop (can be 1-2 hits) and the exit with it fading out. I've done a few custom bells this way, look at the layout of diesel file bells if ever in doubt.

[@tyhik9338]

Wow

[@tyhik9338]

Dude this is amazing, did you do this for free? I'm thinking about adding custom sounds to my ESU equipped locomotives?

[@SCL3618]

Video is up here, so technically free advice lol. I've got a sound video as well, but both tutorials are due a revamp.

[@tyhik9338]

@@SCL3618 oh ok so I don't have to pay for anything? Ok cool, I'll definitely be using this in future.

[@fountain_colorado_railfan]

How do I remap functions without a LokProgrammer?

[@SCL3618]

Getting one is the easiest solution for remaps. Otherwise it involves a good deal of CV's to get things switched around.

[@portlandrailfanproductions1155]

Can I do this to n scale locos

[@SCL3618]

Absolutely, this works on ESU across the board. Some of the engines I worked with had V5 Micros, they took the data just fine.

[@portlandrailfanproductions1155]

@@SCL3618 what do I get for this

[@SCL3618]

@@portlandrailfanproductions1155 You just need access to a lokprogrammer, any sounds you want to add into the engine, and follow this process in video to get a custom horn tossed on.

[@portlandrailfanproductions1155]

@@SCL3618 thanks for the info

[@washingtondcrailfanproduct6421]

Does this only work with loksound5?

[@CCF996]

V4.0 Direct Not Select

[@cuestarailfan4150]

I try to do this but the audio cuts and pops during the transitions. How do I stop this?

[@SCL3618]

Could be too short of a horn section, I've had that happen occasionally when looping a short blast. Ideally find a longer recording section and go from there.

[@cuestarailfan4150]

@@SCL3618 That's odd because the section is a decent length. is there something else that needs to be done to the audio when it loops/goes to the end sound?

[@cuestarailfan4150]

And thanks btw, this tutorial helped me figure out the program!

[@SCL3618]

@cuestarailfan4150 One thing you can try- I've since revised my process after this video was published- make the start of exit sections a bit longer, so it has more time to fade out. This also will help blend it into the loop section, since the change isn't as abrupt.

[@cuestarailfan4150]

@@SCL3618 tried that, still popping. I am working on a whistle as opposed to a horn so could that be a factor?