How to Make MIDI Ringtones

If the list of available ringtones that came with your phone doesn't suit your tastes, you don't have to settle for a sound that you don't like. Rather than buying a ringtone from your provider, create your own to make sure you have exactly the sound you want. With a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) program, you can either convert an existing audio file into MIDI format or make your own song by adding notes from different instruments.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• MIDI creation software

Converting Existing Audio Files

1. Navigate your web browser to a MIDI creation website if you don't already have a MIDI software program on your computer (see Resources). Download and install a MIDI program such as "Anvil MIDI Studio."

2. Click the "File" button at the top of the screen and choose "Open." Locate an audio file on your computer that you want to change into the MIDI format to use as a ring tone.

3. Click on the name of the audio file and select "Open." Return to the "File" menu and choose the "Export MIDI-Format 0" option. Type in the name you want to use for the new MIDI file.

4. Choose the folder where you want the new file to be saved. Click "Save."

5. Connect your phone's USB cable to your computer or insert its memory card into your computer's card reader. Transfer the new MIDI file to your phone's hard drive or memory card.

Creating New MIDI File

6. Download and install a MIDI program such as "Anvil MIDI Studio" (see Resources). Click on the "File" button and choose "New Song." Click the "Track" button at the top of the window and select the "Create Instrument Track" option.

7. Click the "Instrument" tab at the middle of the screen. Select the instrument you want to add to the MIDI file from the list of available instruments.

8. Click "OK." Use the slider bar beneath the instrument's name to change the volume of the instrument's sound. Click on "Track" again and then "Create Instrument Track" to add another instrument.

9. Choose the instrument and change its volume. Click the "Compose" button to bring up the sheet music screen. Add in notes from the selected instrument by clicking on the keyboard symbols at the bottom of the screen.

10. Click on the name of a different instrument you've added to switch to that instrument. Repeat the process until you've finished your song. Click on "Export MIDI-Format 0" in the "File" menu and then choose "Save."

Tips & Warnings

• MIDI files only allow you to add one note at a time, unlike an MP3 track that lets you have multiple sounds at one time. MIDI ringtones will never have the same sound quality as an MP3 or WMA file.

References

• Making MIDI files

Resources

• Download MIDI creation software