Explore the Story Behind Samsung’s Calming Sound Palette

When we think about the smartphone user experience, visual designs and layouts are usually the first things that come to mind. But focusing only on what we can see and touch leaves out one key component that can greatly affect how people experience their mobile devices – sound.

Since the early days of mobile phones, people have been expressing themselves through ringtones. It’s a trend that has continued to this day, even as mobile technology continues to advance at breakneck speed. According to Samsung’s internal data, over 50 percent of Galaxy users use a personalized ringtone.

One UI is designed to make everyday life simpler and bring joy to the everyday experience. Along with visual refinements, Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Z Fold2, Galaxy Z Flip 5G and Galaxy S20 FE devices now offer an expansive sound palette.1 The updated sound experience includes 10 brand new ringtones performed exclusively for Galaxy by professional classical and jazz musicians from around the world to create a relaxing vibe while giving users more options for personalization and self-expression.

From the subtle charging notification tones to the alarms, UX designers at Samsung carefully curated every aspect to bring a unified experience to users. Since Galaxy users come from all corners of the world, every rhythm and tone on the devices was chosen to reflect four universally recognizable themes that were first introduced with the Galaxy S20 series – Galaxy, Retro, Fun and Calm.2

Sounds on Galaxy devices are more than mere notifications. They also serve to elevate users’ daily lives. For the Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy Z Fold2, Samsung added five original Jazz tunes and another five classical pieces to the Calm theme with the hopes of bringing positivity to users’ everyday lives.

Bringing the new music to life was a process that spanned the globe. For the classical pieces, Samsung invited seasoned musicians from conservatoires in South Korea to participate in the recording. The jazz recording session, meanwhile, brought together a group of award-winning musicians and composers in the U.S.

“The synergy in this project comes from the artistry of each individual,” said composer and horn player Jesse McGinty.

From the grand piano to the flugelhorn and even the harp, the new recordings were created with a rich tapestry of instruments.

“People from all around the world are going to use these devices. That’s why we wanted to use different instruments to reflect that diversity,” explained music director Sue Jin Sung.

Fueled by their passion to share music with Galaxy users, the musicians meticulously crafted every note to deliver warmth and comfort.

“Our ultimate goal was to create an intimate sound that’s calming and relaxing,” said sound engineer Byeong Joon Hwang.

Whenever the new songs play on Galaxy devices, McGinty hopes they can give users a break from the hassles of everyday life. Aside from being ringtones, all the new songs are available for purchase as individual tracks for users who want to enjoy them in full.

“You can take all this music with you everywhere you go,” said guitarist Matthew Yeakley. “They [can become] your own soundtrack.”

1 The new ringtones are available on the devices that come with One UI 2.5 pre-installed.

2 The four sound themes are available on the devices that come with One UI 2.1 or above pre-installed.