Table of Contents

The Story of the Nokia Ringtone: Nostalgia, Melody, Evolution

Introduction

I still remember the day I bought my Nokia 5800 Express Music Edition. It was the sort of phone that felt like a small leap into the future: touch screen, MP3 player, and a promise that every sound, every note, could be mine to control. The moment I powered it on for the first time, that familiar chime—what everyone calls the Nokia ringtone—filled the air. It was like meeting an old friend I didn’t know I had.

Nokia is a company that still exists and there are new phones we can expect.

For those who grew up with Nokia phones, that ringtone is more than a sound. It’s a marker in time. A piece of identity. A cue for millions of memories. In this post I’ll walk through how the Nokia ringtone was born, how it changed over the years, what went into composing it, and how it resonated (literally) with users like me—especially during the era of my 5800.

What is the Nokia Ringtone?

The ringtone known by most as the “Nokia tune” comes from a piece by Francisco Tárrega, a Spanish composer/guitarist from the Romantic era. The original piece is called Gran Vals, composed in 1902.
The excerpt used by Nokia is from bars 13-16 of Gran Vals.
It was chosen as Nokia’s default ringtone in the early and mid-1990s. It had several names—“Grande Valse” among them—before Nokia settled on “Nokia tune.”

Origins: Composer, Inspiration, and Early Use

Francisco Tárrega and Gran Vals

Francisco Tárrega (1852-1909) is often called the father of modern classical guitar technique. His Gran Vals is a light, lyrical study. What’s interesting: the four-bar segment that became the Nokia ringtone wasn’t originally meant to be a ringtone. It was simply part of a romantic guitar piece. But its melody had character, clarity, simplicity—qualities that make something memorable even when heard in a small speaker.

Tárrega was influenced by earlier composers, including Chopin. In fact, there’s a moment in Chopin’s Grande Valse Brillante that sounds somewhat like that part of Gran Vals. Tárrega reinterpreted and adapted musical ideas, and this snippet gained a second life decades later. (Classic FM)

Nokia’s Adoption

The Nokia 1011 advertisement in 1992 used Gran Vals (the melody that would become that familiar ringtone).
In 1994, the Nokia 2010 included the ringtone under a generic “Type 5” (or other numbered type) name. It wasn’t yet “Nokia ringtone” per se.
Over time, names shifted (Grande Valse, etc.), until by 1998 it was officially the “Nokia tune”.

Download Your Favorite Nokia Ringtone

🎧 Gallery of Nokia Ringtone Versions (Audio Clips / Recordings)

Source	What you’ll hear / Version(s)	Link
Wikimedia Commons – “Nokia_tune.ogg”	A simple piano rendition of bars 13-16 from Gran Vals (the original melody used for the Nokia ringtone)	Listen / Download “Nokia_tune.ogg” on Commons (Wikimedia Commons)
SoundCloud – Nokia Tune History by Microsoft Phones Design	A playlist showing evolution of the ringtone across years (1999, 2000, 2002, etc.)	SoundCloud “Nokia Tune History” (SoundCloud)
Internet Archive – Nokia Tune Dubstep Edition	A modern remix / dubstep take on the Nokia tune (contest / fan-made variation)	Nokia Tune Dubstep Edition (Archive.org) (Internet Archive)
Sound Dino – Nokia Phone Sounds Collection	Several versions: classic ringtone, piano version, “famous ringtone” etc. Good for hearing contrasts (monophonic vs richer tones)	Sound Dino – Nokia Phone Sounds (SoundDino.com)
PhoneBoy Blog – “Grande Valse” (Monophonic Version)	A monophonic recording of the Nokia ringtone (older, raw style) in WAV / MP3 format. Great to compare older vs later versions.	PhoneBoy: Grande Valse version (phoneboy.com)

Evolution Over the Years

The Nokia ringtone changed not just in name, but in format, texture, and instrumentation, reflecting advances in phone sound technology and changing tastes. Below is a table summarizing key stages of its evolution:

Format / Era	Approximate Years	What Changed / Why	Key Devices or Versions
Monophonic (single tone)	Early-1990s	Only one note at a time; very simple; limited hardware speaker capacity	Early Nokia models (e.g. Nokia 1011, Nokia 2010)
Polyphonic MIDI	Early-2000s	Multiple notes at once; more depth; more pleasing to ear; rise of richer sound chips	Nokia 3510 (2002) and other phones leveraging Beatnik / MIDI technology
“Real tones” / audio recordings	Mid-2000s	Piano, guitar, more realistic samples; less synthetic feel	Nokia 9500 Communicator (2004) introduced a piano version
Genre / stylistic variations	Late-2000s onward	Different instrumental interpretations (guitar-based, marimba, etc.); adapt to trends	Nokia N78’s guitar version (≈2008), Nokia N9’s marimba version (2011)
Modern audio / refined sample versions	Around 2013-2018	Cleaner recordings; retaining core melody but modernized sound; adaptation for newer phones (smartphones)	Latest Nokia tune versions under HMD Global (e.g. Nokia 1 and 7 Plus)

Some Noteworthy Contributors

Ian Livingstone worked on polyphonic arrangements of the Nokia tune during early 2000s.
Ryuichi Sakamoto composed exclusive ringtones/alert sounds for the Nokia 8800, adding more artistry to phone sound design.
Aleksi Eeben, later, joined Nokia’s sound-design team. He contributed many ringtones and alerts, helping shape the richer sound sets in later Nokia / Lumia phones.

The Nokia Tune Through My Experience with the 5800

Owning the Nokia 5800 Express Music Edition felt like having a portable music studio in my hands. Whenever I heard the Nokia ringtone on that phone, it wasn’t just a reminder someone was calling. It carried all those earlier versions, the older monophonic chirps, the polyphonic richness, the sampled tones.

I remember setting up custom ringtones, loading MP3s, but still switching back to that default Nokia ringtone. It was familiar enough to comfort, distinct enough to stand out in a crowd.

One evening, waiting for a call, I set the sound to “Nokia Tune (polyphonic)”, just to hear how those layered notes blended. The sound was fuller than I remembered, less “tinny”, more resonant through the 5800’s speakers. It felt like hearing a childhood song but on stereo sound for the first time.

That blending of old and new made me appreciate what Nokia had done: letting its signature ringtone grow without losing the kernel of what made it so recognizable.

Why the Nokia Ringtone Became Iconic

Several factors combined to give the nokia ringtone its iconic status:

Simplicity and Clarity
The melody is easy to remember. It works in short bursts. Even in low-quality speakers or noisy environments, it is still recognizable.
Pastoral, Pleasant Melody
Because it originated from classical guitar, it has warmth. Not harsh. Not aggressive. Many ringtones try to grab attention—this one doesn’t shout. It sings.
Wide Exposure
Nokia was everywhere. As the mobile phone market grew globally, so did the number of phones carrying that ringtone. It reached people who had never met but heard that ringtone in transit, in shops, on public transport.
Technological Improvements
As hardware improved, the ringtone could be presented in better formats: polyphonic, real tone, etc. Each improvement made it more satisfying, more pleasant to users.
Emotional / Nostalgic Associations
For many, that ringtone marks the early era of mobile phones: pre-smartphone, waiting for calls, the sound of “portable connectivity”. For younger users, it’s retro; for older ones, comforting.

Technical and Cultural Shifts

Sound Technology

Monophonic technology meant single channels; simple beeps. As phones got better sound chips and support for polyphony (MIDI, wavetable), richer textures could be used.
“Real tone” or sampled audio meant recorded instruments (piano, guitar, marimba) could replace synthetic MIDI instruments.
File formats mattered: size, compression, memory constraints. Nokia had to balance memory, battery consumption, speaker capability.

Cultural Trends

As ringtone culture grew, people wanted personalization. Composer apps (on phones like Nokia 3210, 3310) let users make their own short melodies.
Ringtones became fashion statements: different genres, instrumentations, region-specific tastes. Nokia responded by releasing alternate versions.
Nostalgia: once phones moved to smartphones, many users looked back fondly at that old ringtone. Nokia and fans tapped into this: contests for remakes, reimaginings.

Table: Comparing Versions of the Nokia Tune

Here’s a comparison of several versions of the Nokia tune over time:

Version	Instrumentation / Format	Sound Quality / Feel	Device / Year
Original monophonic (single-tone)	Simple beeps (one note at a time)	Very basic; tinny; charming in its rawness	Early-1990s Nokia phones (e.g. Nokia 1011, 2010)
Polyphonic MIDI	Multiple notes; synthetic instruments like basic synths or square waves	Fuller sound; more musical texture	Early-2000s phones (e.g. Nokia 3510)
Real-tone piano/guitar	Sampled instruments; real recording	Warmer; more life; less synthetic feel	Mid-2000s, e.g. Nokia 9500 communicators, later N-series
Marimba / nuanced version	More exotic instrument choice; refined mix	Gentle; modern, less “classic guitar” but still recognizable	Nokia N9 (2011) etc.
Updated modern sample	HD recordings; possibly more ambient / cleaner mastering	Crisp; adapted for modern phones and speakers; small changes but melody preserved	Devices under HMD Global (2018, 1, 7 Plus etc.)

What the Nokia Ringtone Says About Nokia’s Brand Identity

The nokia ringtone isn’t just about sound. It communicates something:

Reliability. It was consistent. No matter where you were or what model, you recognized it.
Tradition. Tárrega’s melody links to classical music, to a lineage. Nokia anchored part of its identity in heritage (in sound at least).
Adaptability. Nokia adjusted formats over time, embraced new tech, while holding on to its signature sound.
Emotional anchoring. Many users (myself included) tie life events to that ringtone—first phone, first text, first call, waiting by the door, etc.

Challenges and Changes

Some users found the classic versions too static, too simple. As phones’ audio systems improved, expectations rose.
With smartphones, custom ringtones, MP3s, streaming, etc., official default ringtones became less central. People often replaced them.
The ringtone had to be adapted so it sounded good on tiny mono speakers, then on stereo speakers, then on better speaker hardware. Each transition involved trade-offs (e.g. ensuring clarity, avoiding distortion).

Modern Revivals and Nostalgic Remakes

Nokia has held remake contests (e.g. remixes of the Nokia Tune).
Some phones released “heritage” versions of the ringtone or included classic versions for nostalgic appeal.
Fans on YouTube, Reddit, etc., share covers, reimaginings, sometimes full orchestral versions. It reflects how much that melody still matters.

Conclusion

The nokia ringtone started as four bars from Gran Vals by Francisco Tárrega. Over decades, it moved from monophonic beeps to polyphonic richness, to sampled instruments, to cleaner modern versions. It’s more than a ringtone: for many, it marks moments in life, small but always present.

When I set up my Nokia 5800 Express Music Edition, hearing that ringtone was a touchstone—past and present blending. It reminded me where I came from, what phones meant before screens, apps, and touch became everything.

If you’re a loyal Nokia user, or someone who felt that melody echo in your memories, there’s a lot to appreciate: the melody, the craftsmanship, and the way it changed yet stayed itself.

Key Takeaways

Gran Vals by Francisco Tárrega is the source of the melody.
Nokia adopted that melody officially by the mid-1990s, giving it the name “Nokia tune”.
Versions shifted as sound technology improved: monophonic → polyphonic → sampled audio.
Instrumental artists inside and outside of Nokia (Ian Livingstone, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Aleksi Eeben, etc.) contributed to variations.
Nostalgia plays a large role: the ringtone holds sentimental value.