You've heard it. Honestly, if you've ever called a doctor’s office, a government agency, or a massive corporate help desk, you haven’t just heard it—you’ve lived it. It’s that infectious, slightly lo-fi, 1980s-inspired synth-pop track that feels like it’s being beamed directly from a neon-soaked dream. Or a nightmare, depending on how long you’ve been waiting for a human to pick up. This is Cisco on hold music, officially titled "Opus No. 1," and it is arguably the most-played piece of music in human history.
It’s everywhere.
Think about the sheer scale of the Cisco footprint. We're talking about millions of Unified Communications Manager systems globally. When those systems put you in the queue, "Opus No. 1" is the default. It’s the sonic wallpaper of the modern bureaucracy. But where did it actually come from? It wasn’t some boardroom-approved corporate commission. It was actually just two teenagers in a garage in the late 80s messing around with a synthesizer.
The Weird History of Opus No. 1
The year was 1989. Tim Carleton and Darrick Deel were just a couple of friends who liked music. Tim was the musician; Darrick was the tech guy who eventually landed a job at a small company called Selera Communications. When Selera was building its first phone system, they needed a hold track. They didn't want to pay royalties for a Top 40 hit. Tim had this song he'd recorded on a four-track tape recorder in his garage using a Roland Juno-106 synth.
He gave it to Darrick. Darrick encoded it. And when Cisco eventually acquired Selera, they didn't just take the hardware—they took the song.
It’s a 65-bit, 8kHz mono file. That’s why it sounds the way it does. It’s compressed into oblivion to fit within the narrow bandwidth of a standard phone line. If you heard the original high-fidelity version, you might not even recognize it. The version we all know is "lo-fi" before lo-fi was a cool aesthetic on YouTube. It’s a technical limitation turned into a global cultural phenomenon.
Why We Can't Stop Thinking About Cisco on Hold Music
There is something strangely hypnotic about the chord progression. It starts with that driving, insistent beat—a sort of digital heartthrob that tells you, "Hey, we haven't forgotten about you." Then the melody hits. It’s hopeful. It’s upbeat. It feels like the intro to a sitcom that never aired.
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Psychologically, hold music is a minefield. If it's too aggressive, callers get annoyed. If it's too slow, they think the line is dead. Cisco on hold music hits the "Goldilocks Zone" of audio. It provides enough rhythmic information to keep the brain engaged without being so complex that it creates "listener fatigue" during a 45-minute wait for tech support.
Interestingly, there’s a whole subculture dedicated to this five-minute loop. You’ll find hour-long versions on YouTube with millions of views. People use it for study music. Others have sampled it in hip-hop tracks. It’s become a "liminal space" for our ears—a sound that exists in the transition between where you are and where you want to be.
The Technical Side of the Sound
Why does it sound so... crunchy? It’s all about the codec. Most Cisco systems use G.711 or G.729. These codecs are designed specifically for the human voice, which operates in a fairly narrow frequency range (roughly 300Hz to 3.4kHz). Music, however, wants a much wider range. When you shove a full-bodied synth track through a voice-optimized pipe, the high-end frequencies disappear, and the low end gets muddy.
The result is that mid-range "honk" that defines the Cisco experience.
- Sampling Rate: 8,000 samples per second.
- Bit Depth: 8-bit.
- Mono vs Stereo: Always mono.
If Cisco had used a different song—maybe something with acoustic guitars or heavy vocals—the compression would have made it sound like a garbled mess of static. But the clean, square-wave sounds of the Roland Juno-106 survived the transition beautifully. It’s almost as if the song was built for the limitations of the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network).
The Global Reach of the "Cisco Sound"
It’s hard to overstate how much this music permeates the world. When a massive university installs a new VoIP system, "Opus No. 1" is the default. When a hospital upgrades its internal routing, there it is. Most IT admins never bother to change it. Why would they? It works. It doesn't offend. It’s royalty-free within the Cisco ecosystem.
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Some people actually find it comforting. In an era of AI-generated voices and complex IVR menus, the familiar "dun-dun-dun-dun" of the Cisco track is a constant. It’s a relic of a simpler era of tech.
But it’s not just a North American thing. This music plays in call centers in Bangalore, offices in London, and government buildings in Sydney. It is a universal language of "please stay on the line."
Can You Change It?
Of course. Any admin with access to the Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) can upload a different WAV file. But there are rules. You can't just upload your favorite Taylor Swift song because you'll get hit with a massive fine from ASCAP or BMI for public performance without a license.
This is why Cisco on hold music persists. It’s the safe choice. It’s the "nobody ever got fired for buying IBM" of audio files.
Practical Steps for IT Admins and Business Owners
If you're tired of the "Opus" and want to move on, or if you want to optimize how it sounds for your callers, keep these technical realities in mind. You can't just throw any audio file at a phone system and expect it to sound good.
Match the Codec to the Source
Don't upload a 320kbps MP3 and expect the system to handle it well. Most Cisco systems prefer a specific flavor of WAV: CCITT u-Law (or a-Law in Europe), 8kHz, 8-bit, Mono. If you convert it yourself using a tool like Audacity before uploading, you'll have way more control over how it actually sounds to the end user.
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Watch Your Levels
Phone systems have very little "headroom." If your hold music is too loud, it will clip and distort, making the experience painful for the caller. Aim for a peak volume of around -12dB to -15dB. This gives the system enough room to breathe without hitting the digital ceiling.
Consider the Psychology of the Wait
If your average hold time is under 30 seconds, "Opus No. 1" is fine. It’s a quick jingle. If your hold times are regularly over 10 minutes, you might want something more ambient. Intense, rhythmic music can actually make time feel like it's passing slower. Longer, evolving soundscapes (think Brian Eno style) tend to make long waits more tolerable.
Check Your Licensing
This is the big one. If you aren't using the default Cisco tracks, ensure you have the rights. There are plenty of "Royalty Free" sites, but read the fine print. Some require a one-time fee; others require a subscription. Don't let a $50 piece of music turn into a $5,000 legal headache.
Test on a Real Phone
Never judge your hold music by listening to it on your studio monitors or high-end headphones. Call into your own system using a cheap cell phone or a standard desk phone. That is the only way to hear what your customers are hearing. You’ll probably find that you need to boost the mid-range and cut the bass significantly to get it to sound "right."
The legacy of Tim Carleton’s garage recording isn't going anywhere. It’s baked into the DNA of the internet. Even as we move toward "Visual IVR" and chat-based support, the hold music remains a staple of the voice channel. It is a piece of art that was never intended for the masses, yet it reached everyone. Next time you're stuck on hold, don't just sigh. Listen to the Juno-106. Appreciate the 8kHz crunch. You're listening to a piece of tech history.