Examples: Exporting audio for ringtones and IVR messages

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This page contains examples of how to export audio in various formats usable for ringtones and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) messages:

44100 Hz 16-bit PCM WAV

To export to 44100 Hz 16-bit PCM WAV
  1. If required, convert the stereo track to mono.
  2. Select menu item File > Export Audio.
  3. In the "Export Audio" dialog choose WAV (Microsoft) signed 16-bit PCM in the Format dropdown (default setting).
  4. Make sure the Sample Rate is set to 44100 Hz.
  5. Click Export.

8000 Hz 8-bit WAV

WAV (Microsoft) Bit depth: 8-bit, Sample Rate: 8000 Hz, Channels: 1 (mono)

This is an example of exporting an uncompressed but small size WAV file specific to a particular type of phone. The low sample rate of 8000 Hz means that the file will not contain frequencies higher than 4,000 Hz, so this file may not give the best results on other phones that have more capable speakers.

The following Motorola Sprint Nextel cellphones:

i265, i275, i405, i450, i560, i710, 730, 750, 760, 830, i833, i836 ,850, 860, i870, i930

require ringtones to be 8-bit 8000 Hz mono WAV files. If your phone has the same requirements as this, the instructions below should work for your phone.

If the only information you have is that the WAV needs to have a bit rate of 64 kbps, these instructions will also probably work for your phone, because in a WAV file the bit rate is always the (bit depth) multiplied by the (sample rate), multiplied by the (number of channels) so the WAV in our example is (8 * 8 * 1) = 64 kbps.

If your phone requires WAV files with slightly different characteristics than these you can adjust the instructions below appropriately. It's assumed you have already made the track mono as per "Convert stereo to mono".

  1. Select menu item File > Export Audio.
  2. Enter a file name and folder location.
  3. In the "Export Audio" dialog choose other uncompressed files from the Format dropdown.
  4. Change the Sample Rate" to 8000 Hz.
  5. In the "Header" dropdown, select "WAV (Microsoft)" and in the "Encoding" dropdown choose "Unsigned 8-bit PCM".
  6. Click Export.

MP3 32 kbps 8000 Hz

MP3 Bit Rate: 32 kbps, Sample Rate: 8000 Hz, Channels: 1 (mono)

As an example of a phone requiring an MP3 ringtone, the Motorola i580 requires MP3 files at 32 kbps, 8000 Hz mono.

If your phone has these same requirements this should also work for you; if your phone requires MP3 files with slightly different characteristics you can adjust the tutorial instructions below appropriately. It's assumed you have already made the track mono as per "Convert stereo to mono".

  1. Select menu item File > Export > [File Export Dialog.
  2. Enter a file name and folder location.
  3. In the "Export Audio" dialog, choose MP3 Files from the "Format" dropdown.
  4. In the Bit Rate Mode to be Constant
  5. Set the Quality to be 32 kbps.
  6. Set the Channel Mode to be Stereo - a single-channel (mono) file will still be produced if your Audacity track is stereo.
  7. Click Export.
Tip You may want to add ID3 metadata tags to your MP3. Click on the Edit Metadata button to use Audacity's Metadata Editor. Enter any tags you require (or none) and click OK.