Wake up to your favorite music with customizable MP3 alarm clocks

April 16, 4:02 PMSalt Lake City Technology ExaminerJulie Sartain

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Salt Lake City Technology Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Is there anything worse than that guttural pulsating shrill of an alarm clock first thing in the morning? Shock therapy, maybe; or fingernails on a blackboard might be worse. Getting up in the morning, for some, is like waking the dead, especially if you have low blood pressure. Some of us prefer (even require) to be gently ‘coaxed’ out of the dream state and then charmed back to earth by something peaceful and pleasant.

That old clock radio just doesn’t make it anymore. Even on my favorite stations, when the clock strikes seven, the music comes on screeching some obnoxious tune that jolts me back to reality (like a bolt of lightning), resulting in a throbbing headache that hangs on until about noon. So I started looking for a better way.

First, I tried customizing the Windows scheduler alarm to play .wav file-tunes instead of the traditional ‘ping-zing’ tones, but that just created another long list of issues, and it just didn’t work that well. I finally gave up and resorted to the ‘wake up’ timer on my television (boring, but effective). Then I discovered the MP3 alarm clocks. Wonderful! Excellent! Perfect!

These MP3 clocks are loaded with features that you can customize down to the minute. You can add any sound, song, or voice that you like; schedule it for any date and time; and even arrange your wake-up tunes for months in advance. Most all of these programs accept multiple formats such as WMAs, WAVs, MPEGs, and AVI videos, in addition to MP3s. Other features include a gentle wake-up option that gradually increases the volume; a weekend sleeper (for snoozing in on holidays and weekends); a sleep and slumber option for nighttime lullabies; lots of special effects such as fade in/out, etc.; an automatic computer shut down; and more.

Now, I have my choice of wake-up music. I start out about an hour before I actually have to get out of bed (6:00 am) with something soft and sweet like Libera’s “I Am the Day” or “We Are the Lost.” Then at 6:15, I move to Celtic or Pop Opera artists like Enya, Loreena, or Sarah (Brightman). At 6:30, I play something happy and a bit more upbeat such as the Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffet, Barry White, or one of those 60s pop bands. At 6:45, the tempo escalates to boogie tunes—disco, rock, reggae, Cajun, zydeco—anything you can dance to. Then at 7:00, the magic hour, I play something really pumping, that’s fast and LOUD, like the William Tell Overture, Ride of the Valkyries, or even Duel of the Fates (techno version).

And this works great! Finally, the answer to my early morning shockwave. I am gently aroused from my slumber, followed by a progression of music that inspires me to get up and get moving. MP3 alarm clocks rock! I don’t know how I ever managed without one. All I can say now is bless you creative geniuses who design and program all these handy little gadgets that make my life easier and much more fun!

Amusing Tips for Scheduling Alarm Tunes
1. Schedule your wake-up tunes in creative categories; for example:
* Songs that announce the time of day
--- Five to One by the Doors
--- Six o'clock by the Lovin' Spoonful
--- Seven Bridges Road by the Eagles
--- Eight Days a Week by the Beatles
--- Love Potion Number Nine by the Searchers
* Songs that sing out the day of the week
--- Monday, Monday by the Mamas and the Papas
--- Ruby Tuesday by the Rolling Stones
--- Saturday Night Fever by the Bee Gees
--- Another Park Another Sunday by the Doobie Brothers
* Songs that broadcast holidays
--- Valentine's Day by Linkin Park
--- Before Easter by Tracy Chapman
--- Halloween by the David Matthews Band

2. Or, schedule an alarm tune to remind you of birthdays, special events, and appointments; for example:
* Today Is Your Birthday by the Beatles followed by a name
--- Little Jeanne by Elton John
--- Sara Smile by Hall & Oates
--- Lady Jane by the Rolling Stones
* Appointments
--- Witch Doctor by Alvin and the Chipmunks
--- Almost Cut My Hair by Crosby, Stills, and Nash
--- Therapist by Bobby Valentino
* Special Events
--- White Wedding by Billy Idol
---Take Me Out to the Ballgame by the Goo Goo Dolls
--- Dance Tonight by Paul McCartney

The possibilities are endless. Be creative, have some fun with it, then toss that old clock radio in the trash. Check out SuperShareware.com for links and/or see the links below (bottom right) in the link box. Prices for this shareware range from free to about $30.