Looking for mp3s to use for my alarm clock

August 19, 2008 9:42 AM

Looking for mp3s to use for my alarm clock. I'd like to wake up to a 5-10 minute track that progressively gets louder so that my awakening feels more natural.

I want to burn a CD with such tracks so that I can put them into my CD Player alarm clock. I tried Google, but could not find anything.

Do you know where I could download tracks that progress in volume?

If not, I could settle for a simple mp3 editor that could let me adjust levels appropriately.

Any ideas? Thanks!

posted by alligatorman to home & garden (29 comments total)

Audacity is a nice free audio editor.
posted by box at 9:45 AM on August 19, 2008

Not to go for the obviolympics, but what about Bolero?
posted by kittyprecious at 9:54 AM on August 19, 2008

Filter's "Hey Man, Nice Shot" does this a couple of time -- starts quiet, gets louder, gets very loud, then repeat.

Plus you get to wake up angry.
posted by rusty at 10:05 AM on August 19, 2008 [1 favorite]

Yeah, Audacity is what you need. Free, open-source, community-supported software.
posted by geekyguy at 10:07 AM on August 19, 2008

How about U2's Where the Streets Have No Name? A wonderful start slow wake-up song that starts the day on a positive note...kinda.
posted by arniec at 10:09 AM on August 19, 2008

What kind of music do you like? That information would make it easier to recommend songs.
posted by sveskemus at 10:12 AM on August 19, 2008

Alot of Animal Collective seems to be like this.
Also, Fake's, You are Not Dead Yet (A Guide to Living)
posted by Jonsnews at 10:18 AM on August 19, 2008

Rather, You are Not Dead: A Guide to Modern Living
Should have looked that up instead of typing from memory.
posted by Jonsnews at 10:21 AM on August 19, 2008

Nthing Audacity.

I would suggest using songs that don't actually change volume very much, and use Audacity to ramp each one up. Experiment with different ramping speeds first before doing them all, to make sure you get the speed that works best for you.

Also, use as many songs as possible, because waking up to the same song every day gets extremely annoying (have you ever seen Groundhog Day?). I would suggest around 20 or so.
posted by burnmp3s at 10:23 AM on August 19, 2008

I'm not sure if you're asking for the program or the music, but the Godspeed You! Black Emperor tracks "Storm" and "Moya" fit this description pretty well, although they're a little longer and maybe too ... apocalyptic to start the day with.
posted by griphus at 10:23 AM on August 19, 2008

I think my CD alarm clock has a feature that does the gradual wake up thing, you may want to check your manual.

I have mine set to Counting Crow's "A Murder of One" from the "Live Across a Wire" CD. It's a jammin' good wake up tune and the lead singer Adam Duritz is encouraging the audience to "get on up!" at the beginning, so it totally fits for me. ;-)
posted by NoraCharles at 10:24 AM on August 19, 2008

Jane's Addiction: Three Days.
posted by Ponderance at 10:31 AM on August 19, 2008 [2 favorites]

Dammit griphus, I was just going to comment about Moya fitting the bill.
posted by bunnytricks at 10:32 AM on August 19, 2008

sigur ros has some great, long "build up" songs with dreamlike qualities that would be pleasant to wake up to.
posted by csimpkins at 10:39 AM on August 19, 2008

Weezer - Only In Dreams is about 8min long and happens to be one of my favorite songs. It's super mellow for the first several minutes, but it builds up and finishes wonderfully.

Also, download Goldwave for scaling volume. It's really easy. You select the whole track, adjust volume, do a linear fade in, and you're done.
posted by crunch buttsteak at 10:47 AM on August 19, 2008

Yeah, Only in Dreams is a fucking classic. In a similar epic-crescendo vein there is Shine on You Crazy Diamond Parts I-V.
posted by Kiwi at 10:57 AM on August 19, 2008

Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast gets the day off to a good start.
posted by Icky at 10:59 AM on August 19, 2008

To be a bit more specific... this Sigur Ros track fits your requirement quite well:

Sigur Ros - Glósóli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doc1eqstMQQ
posted by csimpkins at 11:03 AM on August 19, 2008

Wow, a lot more answers than I expected.

I didn't think of Sigur Ros. That, along with some editing in Audacity could be perfect.

I'll look into all the other recommendations as well, because as was mentioned above, waking up to the same song is no fun.
posted by alligatorman at 11:07 AM on August 19, 2008

It's a little obscure, but the song "Co." by Brian Borcherdt is perfect, I use it. It takes two minutes to get out of just the singer and his electric guitar and by minute 5 it's rocking hard.
posted by scabrous at 11:16 AM on August 19, 2008

I think Stairway to Heaven would qualify?
posted by jroybal at 11:22 AM on August 19, 2008

Talk Talk.
posted by jon_kill at 11:28 AM on August 19, 2008

Yo La Tengo: Blue Line Swinger
posted by Hlewagast at 11:43 AM on August 19, 2008

How could it NOT be Pink Floyd's Time? Ok, not perfect, but it's what I'd use!
posted by TochterAusElysium at 11:52 AM on August 19, 2008

I used LCD Soundsystem's Someone Great on my alarm for quite some time. It actually sorta sounds like a beeping alarm at first, and builds up to a nifty groove.
posted by carsonb at 1:04 PM on August 19, 2008

My google fu is failing me now, but I once came across a series of mp3's online that were intended for naps.

They varied in length but had the same structure.. the intent was you put them on, take a nap and they wake you up at a good time.

They started very peaceful and calm, good stuff to sleep to. This went on for 10-30 minutes and then it spent the next 5 minutes gradually trying to wake you up.

First, animal noises, more active outdoors noises. Then comes a couple of rooster crows. Next the nature noises give way to upbeat, pleasant techno. After a bit of this, it hits you with increasingly loud and jarring noises.

Maybe someone else knows what I am talking about, but if not you could definitely put something like this together with audacity.
posted by utsutsu at 1:47 PM on August 19, 2008

Try some Explosions in the Sky. I think First Breath after Coma would make a fantastic wake-up track per your description without any manipulation.
posted by PueExMachina at 2:12 PM on August 19, 2008

utsutsu, a quick google for "nap mp3s" took me to this, which has mp3s exactly like you describe.

This might be exactly what I'm looking for.
posted by alligatorman at 3:17 PM on August 19, 2008

Yeah, that appears to be exactly what I was remembering.

Your google fu is best.
posted by utsutsu at 11:45 AM on August 21, 2008