Cleartones Organic

After launching the Cleartones minimalist ringtones project since more than a year ago I have been thinking about how to take it to the next level. One type of sound people always seem to like is that of clean bells, gentle chimes and things alike. So I decided to record a large amount of percussive instruments that would fit the concept of Cleartones: minimalist, simple, elegant, and select the best ones for a new set of Cleartones: Cleartones Organic.

Percussionist Marijn Korff de Gidts has a huge amount of instruments in his studio. From ‘standard’ inventory like glockenspiel and woodblock to a complete Indonesian gamelan. Enough sources of beautiful ringing sound. I am very pleased with the result, and apparently I am not the only one!

Again, people recognize the need for a product like Cleartones. David Report, Cult of Mac, Brett Terpstra and my friend Joachim Baan all understand why I started this project, and I’m very happy they do. I like how Brett describes them: “I’ve listened to them all, and there’s not one that would make me want to punch somebody in a grocery checkout line.” 

Qompendium x Cleartones

The Cleartones project is still going strong! In a collaboration with Qompendium I created a gift for our visitors: a pair of special Qompendium x Cleartones ringtones. One is the letter “Q” in melodic Morse code. The other consists of a clear sound to grab the attention combined with a hidden message - the word QOMPENDIUM in Morse code, on a very low volume.

To complete the pack the nice folks at Qompendium created a set of 10 wallpapers to accompany the ringtones on your phone. iPhone and Andoid compatible. You’ll find the download link on the Cleartones website. Enjoy!

Cleartones Notifications

Last year I launched Cleartones, a set of minimalist ring tones which will not make you look stupid when your phone rings. I’ve been using the Cleartone called ‘Persistent’ for a while now, and received phone calls during meetings and even while teaching a lesson. In both cases no one commented or even turned their head because my phone rang. A good sign for me that the Cleartones concept is working.

Since the release of iOS 5 iPhone users are finally able to set custom tones for text messages, emails and other notifications. So I created Cleartones Notifications, minimalist, simple notification sounds for your iPhone or Android smart phone. Have a look at the Cleartones website for available options. You can also try some of them for free by paying with a tweet.

Thanks to Joachim Baan for supporting Cleartones and providing this beautiful image!

The Definition of a Good Ringtone

It’s happened many times: I sit in a train, as all of a sudden a loud noise wakes up all the passengers. It’s a phone, as loud as can be. Thin, harsh music. Many faces turn to the source of the sound, watching it’s owner dig in his/her pocket to pick it up as soon as he/she can.

But it’s already too late. I don’t know the person, but now I know his/her love for German schlagers (and probably lots of beer and sausages, right?). Apart from the fact the sound annoys other people, what does it say about a person? What kind of prejudice does he/she leave?

This is a random example of a situation in which unwanted sound disturbs our living space, and there are many more. I cannot think of any good reason to use music as a ringtone anyway. It’s like wearing a button showing a tiny fragment of a painting by your favorite artist.

The music I like might not be the music you prefer (and I like to listen to a song from beginning to end, preferably on a quality sound system or headphones), and the sound of your three-year-old yelling might make you feel all warm inside, do you think it has the same effect on your colleagues? That being said, let’s look at the positive side of things. Is there such a thing as a good ringtone?

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