Comments on: ringtones that don't annoy, 2012 edition

Question: ringtones that don't annoy, 2012 edition

redbeard — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:09:10 -0800

I'm searching for a lowkey unobtrusive but interesting ringtone that won't draw looks of ire from those around me. I know this has been covered on ask.mefi before (in 2006), and, indeed, I ended up with one of those ringtones on a long ago now dead phone. But six years later, most of those links are dead, and we've moved from RAZRs to iPhones and Androids. So what's the latest and greatest in non-annoying ringy-dingys for our phones?

(and, yes, vibrate is often the answer in public, but particularly in certain setting when my phone is across the room, sound is indeed key)

By: roomwithaview

roomwithaview — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:19:04 -0800

The iPhone has a relatively benign one called "Old Phone." I wanted something a bit more modern so I found a fairly unobtrusive ring that came standard on HTC Hero phones.

By: Rock Steady

Rock Steady — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:28:41 -0800

I'm partial to the codec chime from the Metal Gear video game series.

By: Rock Steady

Rock Steady — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:41:25 -0800

I also have had the intro of the opening theme to Mad Men as my ringtone. Starts off nice and subtle and gets a little more insistent once the drums kick in. It's also fun to get knowing looks and head nods from other fans of the show.

By: Another Fine Product From The Nonsense Factory

Another Fine Product From The Nonsense Factory — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:42:57 -0800

You want to check out Cleartones. They were designed specifically as "non-stupid" ringtones.

The author calls them "a set of 50 quality 'hand made', minimalist ringtones for the serious user. Like yourself. " - and I would agree with that description. I like several of them and use them on all my devices. You can buy a set with about 50 different ones in or there are a few free ones aswell which may be all you need.

By: little miss s

little miss s — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:45:38 -0800

Portal Ring Tones!

By: JJtheJetPlane

JJtheJetPlane — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:47:55 -0800

I use several sounds from the mario bros games as notifications for sms, email, etc. If someone near you has never played, they sound relatively generic, but anyone familiar will smile, I guarantee it.

By: cocoagirl

cocoagirl — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:54:53 -0800

Wallender's.

By: iffley

iffley — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:03:01 -0800

Here's Rock Steady's codec as an MP3.

And based on the samples, those Cleartones are lovely.

By: losvedir

losvedir — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:05:30 -0800

My sister uses the guitar opening to Jose Gonzalez's Heartbeats (which you may know from the Sony Bravia commercial with the bouncing balls dumped down a San Francisco street). It's distinctive and very pleasant.

Not sure how she made it an iPhone ringtone, though.

By: prenominal

prenominal — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:07:29 -0800

Unobtrusive, pleasant, and unique -- the first 18 seconds of this (Two silver leaves by Calexico) is my ringtone.

By: prenominal

prenominal — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:09:17 -0800

*trees

By: nicebookrack

nicebookrack — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:56:28 -0800

I don't think it exists, but I do think a cat's solicitation purr would make a good ringtone.

By: pharm

pharm — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:01:22 -0800

Bit deep for a phone speaker perhaps nicebookrack?

By: sugarbomb

sugarbomb — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:53:53 -0800

Mine is Beethoven's "Fur Elise"--classy, unobstrusive, subtle.

By: duien

duien — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:31:15 -0800

I bought a pack from RCP Tones, and am pretty happy with it. There's a lot of good, not cheesy and not annoying tones. They've got some samples you can listen to on the site.

By: Suddenly, elf ass

Suddenly, elf ass — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:45:45 -0800

losvedir, it's ridiculously easy to make any sound clip you want into an iPhone ringtone. Cut out the bit you want with an audio editor like Audacity; export it in AAC format ("whatever.m4a"); rename it to "whatever.m4r". Add it to iTunes and sync with your phone. Boom, ringtone.

By: Multicellular Exothermic

Multicellular Exothermic — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:20:21 -0800

I want a ringtone of Emma Watson saying, "David, someone is calling you on the phone."
I don't think it's going to happen.

By: Rash

Rash — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:40:31 -0800

I use a departure melody from a Japanese train.

The iPhone has a relatively benign one called "Old Phone."
Actually, this has become one of the most annoying ringtones.

By: juv3nal

juv3nal — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:15:31 -0800

I made myself a ringtone out of a short clip taken from the beginning of "march of the ilomilos" which can be found here.

By: rmd1023

rmd1023 — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:55:06 -0800

One of many guides for making your own iphone ringtones from audio clips in itunes

By: defcom1

defcom1 — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:45:04 -0800

I use the Star Trek (TNG) doorbell chime, I like the subtle chirp, and it's unique. (More Star Trek samples here)

By: hellojed

hellojed — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:44:48 -0800

I use different versions of the Macintosh boot-chime.

By: kittensofthenight

kittensofthenight — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:42:26 -0800

I use nonononono cat, recorded live from the laptop. It's confusing as all heck for strangers, but starts quiet enough for me to cut it off if its an inappropriate time to hear a cat howling.

By: gnomeloaf

gnomeloaf — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:59:59 -0800

I used to use the theme from Moral Orel, starting at about the :20 mark.

By: librarylis

librarylis — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:56:12 -0800

For iPhones specifically, I love the Bell Tower ringtone (linking out to another AskMe that links to the tone itself; one of the top results on Google, amusingly).

It's somewhat unobtrusive, but more importantly for me, it doesn't include as many high-pitched and screechy tones as say, Cleartones do. Bell Tower is also somehow a bit more adult sounding than the more googly tones (Sci Fi or Digital or what have you) or god help us, the latest Lady Gaga song. To like Bell Tower, it probably also helps to have a love of the sound of clocktower bells chiming.

By: Infernarl

Infernarl — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:33:59 -0800

i use a white noise fade in on my iphone. here is the file: fastfadenoise. Most people don't even notice it. And there is no possibility of your ringtone being imitated if your phone accidentally goes off at the symphony.

By: theobserver

theobserver — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:36:09 -0800

Like you, I searched high and low and finally found this pleasant digital phone sound from here

By: giraffe

giraffe — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:48:25 -0800

I use Chuck Mangione's "Feels So Good" (the beginning flugelhorn bit) as my ringtone. Mostly due to King of the Hill. But it's nice - smooth yet noticeable. Borderline elevator music. And it doesn't startle me when my phone rings in a quiet room.

By: barnone

barnone — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:51:49 -0800

This collection of 'meditation oasis ringtones' isn't bad. And Zen Koans has some simple ones, though they're not exactly attention grabbers!

By: psergio

psergio — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:42:07 -0800

I use the opening to "He would have laughed" edited to end before any vocals. I have a Droid X2. I use Audacity to trip an mp3.

By: Plutor

Plutor — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:47:26 -0800

I really like the ringtone that the CTU phones on the show 24 had. Identifiable as a phone ringing, but it's fairly unique.

By: boba

boba — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:40:34 -0800

This certainly isn't unobtrusive and currently only supports SMS message notifications, but it is interesting. There is an app on the Android Marketplace called "Morse Names" that will play your contact names in Morse code when you receive an SMS. Instant custom notifications for all your contacts. Full disclosure, I wrote the app, so I'm not including a link to it.

Now to follow up on all these other great ideas!

By: circular

circular — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:14:16 -0800

I used to use BT's a clip from Childhood Montage for this purpose.

By: omegar

omegar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:42:28 -0800

I use Mario Kart ringtones. Really.

By: backseatpilot

backseatpilot — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:24:15 -0800

Probably annoying as hell to everyone around me, but I must share: I grabbed a sound clip of Portal 2's Space Sphere yelling "SPAAAAAAAACCCCEEE!" and turned that into my ringtone. It's the only thing I can hear when my phone is in my pocket, and it scares the crap out of me when the phone is on my desk.

More than happy to e-mail an mp3 to anyone that wants it.