When we get a new phone, one of the first things we do is set the ringtone. However, most of us want ringtones that will be different from others in our environment. That’s why many of us download music or make our own ringtones. The question is how legal is this entire process? We will try to provide you with some answers.
Ringtone Is Almost Like An ID Of Your Phone
Source: popsci.com
We all like our ringtone to be original, memorable, and different from the ringing of other phones in the area. After all, when we buy a new phone, the ringtone is one of the first things we will look at and choose the desired option. It is almost like your phone’s ID and a confirmation of whose phone is ringing. The phone ringing melody can be identical for all calls – or different for individual contacts. Of course, you will decide about that yourself and choose a melody that suits a specific contact. Of course, we already have ringtones that come with the phone. However, the default ringtones that come with the phone are often not interesting to us – so we can download additional melodies from the Internet, or we can make them ourselves from our favorite songs.
Ringtones: Once And Now
Earlier, the companies that produce mobile phones had their characteristic ringtones by which they were recognizable. The best example of that is certainly the famous NOKIA ringtone, which, over time has remained the same but in a modified musical arrangement. However, phone users, especially modern Android and iPhone users, wanted something more than that. Therefore, we started inserting our favorite songs into the ringtone lists – but some of them were very long or had a long intro before the beginning of the music theme itself. This problem is solved by allowing us to cut, for example, the chorus of our favorite song – and set it as a ringtone when our best friend calls us. It’s very easy to do that – and even old phone models support this option. In the past, cutting a song was done on a computer, so the melody was transferred to the phone – but now, on android phones, we can cut the song and turn it into a ringtone directly on the phone.
Issues Of Legality And Copyright
Source: mashable.com
From the early beginnings with a few MIDI melodies, we have reached the expansion of ringtones that we can successfully download and customize today. But is everything available to us and is it all legal? We must emphasize the fact that it is very important to include in the entire story the part that concerns the copyright of the performers. In addition, the manufacturers of modern Android and iPhone devices themselves have joined the business because the individualization and personalization of ringtones are becoming very important for this market. Besides them, music authors and label houses also joined this business and decided to make part of their music available to phone users – thus, in the end, increasing their earnings.
Downloading Ringtone Music From The Internet: YES Or NO?
Today, if you want a melody for your ringtone, it’s very easy to do it. Namely, the fact that the Internet is full of sites that allow you to download a well-known song for free and set it as a ringtone comes in handy. In addition, there are many web tools we can use as converters to turn a song into a ringtone. However, in these cases, you need to keep in mind every single detail. You must read everything, including the small printed text, where the owners of such websites often claim they won’t take any responsibility. Therefore, you better check out some reliable websites where you can download ringtones for free, such as Get-Ringtone.com or similar. It is very important to know that piracy is easily carried out – but it’s also easy to detect. So don’t be among those who will suffer the legal consequences.
Consequences Of Illegal Downloading Of Ringtone Music
Source: unsplash.com
So the issues of copyright and legal responsibility are of essential importance first of all for the users – and only then for the sellers of such services. Unfortunately, today we know that the Internet is full of websites where you can download so-called torrents – so for your phone, you can even choose a song from a movie, or even some famous lines that serve as an alarm or a signal for an incoming text message for some users. Still, there’s always a BUT! You have to be very careful here. Although many people do it and manage to get away without consequences – things are changing now. Some of the first legal rules were introduced by the popular YouTube – which was also the first one to charge some large compensation fees.
How To Use Popular Music Legally?
The first answer here is always: Pay for it! For example, iPhone users who make a ringtone for their phone have to pay twice! The first time when they download the melody – and then when they set it as a ringtone. That is generally a matter of agreements and contracts that this company has with label houses – and here you are breaking their rules more than the law itself. However, you don’t want to go to court with them, so you better pay. However, there is one catch that many users resort to, and it is legal in most countries. This catch implies that you download only part of the song, which will last from ten to 30 seconds (depending on the laws of certain countries). In this way, it is considered that you have not harmed the author of the music, and you can use the melody for your phone without fear of possible consequences. The only question is how you can download only a part of the song and not the whole song. However, there are tools for such things as well – so if you are resourceful and skillful – you might get lucky.
The Bottom Line
With the modernization of the devices that we use every day, such as mobile phones, our needs for certain features also increase. Nevertheless, the ringtone has always been important to every phone owner. It is almost something that represents us in a way. However, in recent times, more and more attention is being paid to the legal framework of using melodies. Therefore, give your trust to verified sites where you can download music and make a ringtone for your phone.
