Make Your Own Ringtones
How to Use SP-MIDI

Customized ringtones have been popular since the first cellular phones allowed users to change the ring. A new industry has sprung up to meet the demand for custom ringtones. But did you know you can make your own? There are several ways to do this, but the most flexible is to use a special kind of MIDI file called SP-MIDI.

MIDI began as a way for electronic instruments to interact with each other, and any computer can play MIDI files. (For an expanded explanation of MIDI, see MIDI Basics).

Recently a group of interested parties came together, including Beatnik, Nokia and the MIDI Manufacturers Association, to create an adaptation of MIDI to work in handheld devices such as cell phones and PDAs.
According to the MIDI Manufacturers Association, "Scalable Polyphony MIDI was conceived as a solution for '3G' (3rd Generation) mobile applications and systems...SP-MIDI provides flexibility to both the system operator and the mobile terminal manufacturer to address differing customer needs. For example, lower-cost phones may be offered that have only 8-note polyphony, vs. higher priced models that have 32-note polyphony, yet the same content will play on either phone."

This means you can upgrade your phone and still play all of the ringtones obtained previously. You can also share with friends who have different phones.

SP-MIDI isn't supported by all cell phones, but the list is growing. Nokia was the first cell phone maker to adopt SP-MIDI, followed by the Sony Ericsson T300 and P800 models. Expect to see this feature in more phones and PDAs in the future.
Are you ready to make ringtones? There are basically two ways to create an SP-MIDI file: by using a stand-alone program or a plug-in for a MIDI sequencer. Sonify.org offers this tutorial for creating SP-MIDI files with Steinberg's Cubase program.

Here are some software options:
• Nokia Audio Suite is a set of two plug-ins for MIDI sequencer programs such as those made by Cakewalk and Steinberg. This is a free download, but requires registration on Nokia's developer section.

• The Beatnik Mobile Sound Builder, like the Nokia Audio Suite, was created for content developers and can be intimidating to novices. It costs US$299 but can be tried for free for 14 days.

• Anvil Studio makes an easy SP-MIDI accessory that can be purchased by itself, or as part of Anvil Studio Works. Anvil Studio is a free MIDI sequencing program, but accessories such as SP-MIDI are not included.
More tools are in development. For the time being, SP-MIDI is primarily for software developers, but with some persistence you can make some ringtones that are uniquely yours!