Here are tips for setting your e-mail program to play songs, roll drums, or pipe bucolic bleats when important mail comes your way.

To have Eudora Pro play a tune to herald e-mail from a specific person, create a filter. Select Tools-Filters, and check Incoming. After Header:, select From:. After Contains, enter the sender's e-mail address. Under Action, select Play Sound.

To configure Eudora Pro or Lite to play a favourite tune when mail arrives, select Options from the Tools menu. Under Category:, scroll to and click the Getting Attention icon. Place a check beside Play a Sound, and click the blank bar beneath it. In the Select a Sound File box that appears, browse to your preferred .wav file. Select it and click Open. Click OK.

Head to the Windows Control Panel (Start-Settings-Control Panel). Open the Sounds icon. In the Sounds tab, under Events:, scroll to New Mail Notification. Browse to the .wav file you wish to play. Select it and click Apply. Next, in OE, select Tools-Options. In the General tab, place a check beside Play sound when new messages arrive. Click OK.

To set Messenger to play a sound when new messages arrive, select Start-Programs-Netscape Communicator-Utilities-Netscape Mail Notification. A mail icon will appear in your system tray. Right-click it and select Options. Choose Play This Sound File, and click Browse. Find the .wav file you'd like Messenger to play, and click Open. You must also configure Messenger to play sounds. From the Edit menu, select Preferences. Head to Mail & Groups, and check Enable sound alert when messages arrive. Click OK.