

Conceptual artist Jonathon Keats has created the world's first silent ringtone, a bootleg of John Cage's famous piano piece that contains four minutes and 33 seconds of silence. Cage performed 4'33" live before an audience in 1952. But, says Keats, Cage was limited by the technologies available at the time. His silence wasn't perfect because it wasn't digital – nor could it be freely distributed via sound files. So Keats wrote "My Cage," a 4:33 minute ringtone of pure, unadulterated silence. You can get it for free from Start Mobile, a ringtone distributor, and Keats urges people to remix and mashup his ringtone as much as they wish.

From the ringtone ad:

A remastering, "My Cage" is also a remix, introducing serendipity into the equation, delivering performances unpredictably, whenever calls come unexpectedly. The silence may take place without the listener being aware of it. Or the listener may hear a call - phantom silence - when there's no one on the line. "My Cage" all-encompassing: Even those who don't use it as a ringtone have the potential to experience it, in the silence of an unanswered call. Note: To fully enjoy this work, and to give callers the opportunity to enjoy the complete silence as well, it is recommended that you turn off your voicemail.

I just downloaded "My Cage," and I've already had the pleasure of hearing beautiful silence instead of the midi version of the Star Trek: TNG theme that usually bursts from my little Treo 650 when somebody calls. The composition is so compelling that I've been hearing it in my head all day. Highly recommended!

"My Cage" [via Jonathon Keats]