How to edit ringtones / system sounds

Updated: September 4, 2009

Creating ringtones is a pretty easy thing to do if you have a little patience. I will show you how to do this using a free program called Audacity.

Apple has also provided a way to create ringtones via GarageBand.

Step 1.

Download Audacity here. I am using version 1.3.12 beta. While you are at this page, download the LAME MP3 encoder found here. This will allow Audacity to export to MP3 format. Once you've installed Audacity and started it, you'll see this screen.




Let's get a song to work on. Click File, select Import, then select Audio...




Select your song, and click Open.




You will now see what your audio file's waveform looks like.




I have expanded this size of the program so I can see more of the audio wave. Only the left channel is viewable here. If you expanded the program screen further, you'd see the right channel. Keep in mind, it's not my intent to teach you how to use this program. You're going to have to experiment on your own. I also clicked the magnifying glass icon to zoom in on the audio wave, so that I can select a section of it to use. You want your loop to be as clean as possible when it repeats. As you can see below, I've already selected a section of the song (highlit in gray).




You can check the quality of your edit point, by clicking Transport, then selecting Loop Play. Just click the stop button in the program to end playback.




When you are satisified, click File, Export Selection...




Name your ringtone. Select MP3 Files as the format. Click Save.




Enter whatever information you'd like on this screen. Then click OK.




If you did not install LAME, you'll receive this message.




You should now have your mp3 on the desktop.

Step 2.

Now read this tutorial and follow Method 1.