When it comes to creating a ringtone, you have plenty of options, both software- and hardware-based. If you’re looking to create your own audio file that you can use as a ringtone, rather than altering an existing song or sound, this guide will walk you through the process using Ableton Live 9, one of the most popular digital audio workstations (DAWs) on the market today.
What Software Are Needed to Create Ringtones?
Here are the top five software for creating ringtones:
- Windows Movie Maker (PC)
- GarageBand (MacOS)
- Audacity (PC, MacOS, Linux)
- Ringtone Maker (Android)
- Ringtone Designer Pro (iOS)
What You Need
While most DAWs come with basic audio editing and MIDI recording/playback capabilities, there are also powerful third-party tools that can help you do more advanced things. To create your own ringtones, you’ll need at least one of these: – Cool Edit Pro (PC) – Adobe Audition (PC) – Audacity (Mac/PC) – GarageBand (Mac only).
You will also need software that imports audio files into your DAW and chops them up into individual slices; for example, REAPER, Apple Logic Pro 7, or Cakewalk Sonar LE all come with SoundTouch 2. SoundTouch is a $30 standalone application that can open up any sound file and isolate its various slices.
There are also free alternatives like Audacity and GoldWave which let you export each slice as an individual WAV file. Once you have everything set up, here’s how to make a ringtone using your DAW: 1. Open up SoundTouch 2 if it isn’t already running. Load in an MP3 file from your computer’s hard drive by clicking File, then Open on SoundTouch’s main window. If you’re using another program like GoldWave or Audacity to save out each slice as an individual WAV file, load those files into SoundTouch instead.
Creating Your Own Ringtone in Your DAW
The first thing you’ll need to do is create your own ringtone. This can be done by simply trimming down your song of choice and removing any silence from it. It’s really that simple! The great thing about using your DAW is that once you’ve trimmed your audio, you can then make any changes to it (with plugins) or even add effects if you wish.
This makes creating your own ringtones fun and easy for people who aren’t quite sure how they want their final product to sound just yet! Once you’re done making changes to your audio, export it out at whatever bitrate/quality level you want! You’ll want an mp3 format of course, since most phones use mp3s as their primary file format for phone music. If you don’t know what kind of quality/bitrate setting to choose, 320kbps should work fine for most devices.
Just remember: higher quality = larger file size = longer download times = more storage space needed on your device. If you don’t mind waiting longer than usual for your ringtone to download, go ahead and pick a higher-quality setting! Now that you have your new ringtone saved on your computer, all that’s left is transferring it over to your device so you can start enjoying it! How? Well, that depends on what type of device you have.
Apple GarageBand
GarageBand is a great Mac app for getting started with ringtones. The interface is user-friendly and it comes equipped with an excellent set of tools that allow you to easily record audio, edit it and mix everything together-along with scores of pre-recorded loops and instruments.
Suppose you have GarageBand, use these steps to learn how to create your own ringtone. If not, keep reading; there are plenty of other options out there. We’ll get to those later. First, let’s get started with GarageBand. For each project you start in GarageBand, go to File, then New Project, and select Ringtones from under More Options.
Click Choose on the next screen and then give your project a name before clicking Create. This will bring up two tracks: one for recording voice or instrument sounds (called Stereo Out) and another track called Drums where pre-recorded beats will playback when someone calls (click here if you want to add more tracks). To add sounds from your computer into either track, simply drag them over from Finder.
Ableton Live
It’s hard to find a better-known Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) than Ableton Live. The learning curve on Ableton can be steep, but it’s worth it once you gain an understanding of how audio and MIDI work together with effects and virtual instruments. Whether you’re simply looking for ways to make music on your own or you’re looking for a platform where you can start creating and selling original material, Ableton Live is an excellent choice.
If you want tools that cater specifically to live performance, look into Ableton Push. This unique MIDI controller features pads that respond to dynamics for musical expression, so playing over pre-recorded beats and tracks feels like playing an instrument rather than producing music from scratch.
Logic Pro X
Apple’s all-in-one digital audio workstation (DAW) takes some time to get used to, but it includes just about everything you’ll need to create professional-quality ringtones. The audio interface is built-in, so there’s no need for an external setup.
Moreover, Logic Pro X comes with preloaded sound packs and plug-ins-many of which are free-for adding effects and creating custom sounds. Once you’ve created your masterpiece, simply export it as an .m4r file and copy it into iTunes for syncing with your iPhone or iPad. Oh, and if you’re still partial to GarageBand: No worries.
How Can Someone Make Money Selling Ringtones?
It may not be easy, but it’s possible. You can make money selling ringtones in one of two ways: by charging for them or giving them away free. The former strategy is more straightforward, as you just need to set a price and sell your creation through sites like iTunes and/or Amazon.
On these sites, you’ll also need to pay commission fees ranging from 30% to 50%. If you’re planning on doing your own sales, you should probably get an ISBN number (the international standard book number) if your ringtone is musical; non-musical files (like funny sounds) don’t require that.
Final Thoughts
You’ll need either an audio editor or a full-fledged digital audio workstation (DAW) if you want to create ringtones. Examples of editors include Ableton Live and Audacity; some examples of DAWs are Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, and FL Studio. Most editors allow you to take single tracks out of an existing song, while most DAWs will only do whole songs-but it all depends on what kind of workstation you’re working with.
You might also be interested in selling music online.