How to Make Free Ringtones with Audacity
iPhone prides itself as having some of the coolest smartphone capabilities. However, the default ringtones it comes with are rather dull. If you want to change your smartphone's ringtone, you have the option of buying or downloading a ringtone. This option is however a bit undesirable, as you have to pay for every ringtone you buy or download. There is also the chance that someone else will have the same ringtone on their phone. Fortunately, you can create custom ringtones for your smartphone, and without even having to pay a dime - Audacity.
Part 1. Step-by-step Guide on How to Create a Ringtone using Audacity
Audacity is a free open source software that allows you to record and edit audio tracks. Using this software, you can be able to create a custom ringtone for your iPhone by editing previously stored music files on your PC.
Step 1. Downloading and installing Audacity on your PC:
1) Download Audacity and install it in your PC. You can download the software from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/. When downloading the software, you should go for the latest version (at least version 1.3.8 or greater).
2) Download and install LAME MP3 encoder library - Audacity is an open source software and thus it lacks the MP3 file format, which is patented and requires a license to operate. Downloading the LAME MP3 encoder library allows you to export recorded audio files to your computer and save them in MP3 format.
3) Install FFMpeg library - FFMpeg library is required to convert the created mp3 files into audacity m4r ringtones.
Step 2. Creating Audacity ringtones for your smartphone:
1) Find a source file - the source file should be any existing MP3 file you have on your PC. It can be a downloaded song, a track ripped from a CD, a soundtrack from a DVD or any other mp3 file you have.
2) Launch Audacity on your computer and open the source file by clicking "File" > "Open" and then browsing to the source file.
3) Using your mouse, highlight the section of the source file that you want to use as a ringtone. The selected portion can be anything between 15 and 30 seconds.
4) Play back the song (Audacity will only play the selected portion this time) and trim it further if need be. You can also make adjustments to your ringtone by including special effects such as fade-in and fade out.
5) Create a new sound file by clicking "CTRL + N" on the toolbar.
6) Copy and paste the created Audacity ringtone on the new file by clicking "Edit" > "Copy" and then "Edit" > "Paste".
7) Export the created file to your computer's hard drive as MP3 and then convert the format to m4r by either renaming the file's extension or using the FFMpeg command line. Alternatively, you can export the created file using the "M4A (AAC) Files (FFmpeg)" format.
8) Open the file on iTunes and then sync your iPhone for the ringtone to be added to your phone.
Part 2. Easiest Way to Make Ringtone with Audacity Alternative
Audacity is one of the best audio track recording and editing software, which you can use to create custom ringtone for your phone. However, there are alternative audio recorders on the market that you can use to create iPhone custom ringtones. One of the best alternatives for Audacity is the Aimersoft Music Recorder for Windows.
Aimersoft Music Recorder for Windows (or Aimersoft Music Recorder for Mac) is a free music recording software that allows you to record audio tracks to your PC's hard drive using source files from various music streaming sites. The software features a user-friendly interface that comes with various features that are designed to make the recording process fast and easy. It allows you to export the recorded files into MP3 or M4A audio file formats.
Key Features of Aimersoft Music Recorder:
- Online recording: It is designed as an online audio recorder that allows you to record audio tracks into your computer from hundreds of online music streaming sites. The software can also be used to record audio files from various video streaming websites such as YouTube, Vimeo, Daily Motion, Hulu and others.
- High quality MP3 recording: Aimersoft Music Recorder uses a virtual sound card that allows you to record audio tracks and export them to your computer as MP3 or M4A audio formats, while retaining the original quality of the source file.
- ID3 Tags support: It is equipped with ID3 tag technology, which identifies and tags the music with the title, artist, album, genre and other fields.
- Direct iTunes recording: Aimersoft Music Recorder allows you to directly record audio tracks to iTunes by simply clicking on the "Add to iTunes" button located on the application.
How to Create Ringtones Using Audacity Alternative
Step 1. Download and install the program
Launch the application and proceed to the main interface. Click on the "Record" button to start the recording capability.
Step 2. Record music
Go to a music site or music application such as iTunes or Spotify. The application will detect audio files and start recording automatically.
Step 3. Start converting MKV files for playback on iPhone
Go to the "Library" tab on the Aimersoft Music Recorder and then click on "Ringtone" to start creating a ringtone. Right click on the recorder track to use and then click on "Make Ringtone" to create a ringtone for your phone.
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