MIDI: Ringtones for mobile phones

[Didier]

Hi,

The primary questions come from Steve (in the New board... topic), but I thought it was best to create a new topic, in case anyone's interested.

If this topic is in the MIDI forum, that's because (IMHO), the best tool for creating ringtones is using a plain old (or new) MIDI sequencer, for at least 90 % of the market.

I think, for the indie musician, the ability to create his own ringtones is a "new" and challenging opportunity. Plus, the teens (around 15), especially the girls it seems , are very eager to have new tones (especially when their friends don't have it), and not only coming from the top 40, I tested that with my nieces.

Two (at least) cases are involved:

1. Monophonic ringtones (at least, 80% of the market). For a primary explanation of some of the different formats involved, it would be best to start by reading my page on the subject. (you will find the thread here: Didier et les Ombres on your mobile phone)

To create monophonic ringtones (e.g., in the original format developed by Nokia), you are supposed to type endless sequences of text commands.

Now, since we're musicians, I suppose that most of us (if not all) have access to a MIDI sequencer, or at least something able to create MIDI files. Then, you use various tools found on the Internet (some of them are free), to create the various formats according to the target phones. I can give pointers for those interested.

The difficulty (even in the MIDI environment) is the basic limitations of "old" mobile phones:

No note lower than A4 (which I guess would display as A3 on most sequencers. In Logic, it appears either as A3 or A2 depending on the options).

No ringtone longer than 20s. Why 20 seconds? Because most operators (your mileage may vary) will switch the caller to your voice mail after 21 seconds, which means the one receiving the call will never hear the end of your beautiful creation.

Plus a lot of phones cannot handle more than 20, 50, 70, etc. notes. If you want your ringtone to "loop" (i.e., repeat), it should be between 10 to 15 seconds (I refuse to use my creativity for 5 seconds).

After you have created your ringtones, in the zillion existing formats, you have (or your fans) to transfer the ringtones to your (or others) phone. Again, there a several solutions to this, the most elegant (IMHO) being the "Smart Messaging" from Nokia, based on standard SMSs (Short Messages) which works on most "mid-generation" phones.

2. Polyphonic ringtones

I have so far only investigated Nokia (serie 60 and beyond). The very interesting approach from Nokia is that they use straight MIDI files, with a few bytes added at the beginning, which anybody with a Sysex editor should be able to add easily.

If they use MIDI files as the primary format, it's because they have embedded a MIDI GM module in their phones.

The "great" limitation (in Serie 60) is that the polyphony is 4 notes only. 1 is easy (usually the voice or something), 16 is "normal", but 4 is a real challenge.

Now, for more advanced phones, the polyphony is 70 notes, which should be OK with everyone.

Of course, in a not so far future, they will use Wav, MP3s, or whatever to allow (what Nokia calls) “natural sounds”.

But, in the mean time, you – at least me - has to deal with the phones Joe and Joette Public have available, which means using MIDI. A rough estimation would be 80 percent of “old” monophonic tones, 20 % of polyphonic phones, from which at least 10% should be Nokia serie 60.

Didier

[Steve]

Hey Didier!

I have downloaded your tunes but they crash my system when I try to play them! 4 times now!!!!!!! I think I may have to delete them..  

[Didier]

Hey Didier!

I have downloaded your tunes

Fine, and thanks

but they crash my system when I try to play them! 4 times now!!!!!!! I think I may have to delete them..  :-

Which tunes, which format, which files, which whatever ? (Wav, MIDI, RTTTL, SCKL, MP3?)

You do not help me much there.

How can my "tunes" (you don't even mention  in what format they are) crash your system? In what way?

Please give me (at least) the name of the files, and what you try do to with them

If you're really stuck (I can assure you it was not my intention to crash any system), please contact me though the contact form on my web site:

http://didier.elo.free.fr/contact_e/contact_e.htmlThere's even a specific contact form for ringtones.

(I don't display my email address publicly, too much spam at the moment).

I can give you support and help you solve your problem, but your have to "help me to help you" a little first.

Didier