How can I find out what is making the "glass" notification sound?

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Level 1

5 points

How can I find out what is making the "glass" notification sound?

At apparently random times, I hear the "glass" notification sound. There is no notification or alert that pops up on screen when I hear the sound, and the sound will happen even when I'm no using the computer (like when the screensaver is active or the display is off). I've tried turning off various potential culprits like iTunes--I thought perhaps the sound was from the wi-fi syncs completing with my iOS devices, but it still makes the sound even with iTunes closed!

I'm not sure if the sync still happens even without iTunes being active, but normally when it is, I'll see an "iPhone sync complete" message in the playhead when a sync DOES occur. Also, there seem to be no preferences for alert/notification sounds within iTunes.

I'm not using any chat applications like Skype, iChat, or Adium: only TotalFinder, Firefox, and Overflow. I have iStat Menus running in my menu bar.

I've tried browsing through the Console log, but I can't find anything that seems to line up with the time that I heard the sound. Does anyone have any ideas as to where this "glass" sound effect is coming from, and how I might be able to shut it off?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Late 2009, 8GBRAM, WinXP/Parallels6

Posted on Oct 27, 2011 3:46 PM

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Answer 1

WZZZ

Level 6

13,220 points

Oct 27, 2011 4:04 PM in response to Azurite

MIght not be an Apple app. Look through your third party programs>preferences for possible culprits.

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Answer 2

Azurite Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 27, 2011 4:10 PM in response to WZZZ

It turns out it's happening every 20 minutes, on the "8"-- 3:38, 3:58, 4:08. The sound isn't actually "glass" but similar to it--like a very light "ding."

I've tried checking the preferences for what I have open, but either there's no preference for notifications/alerts, or there's nothing regarding sounds.

S

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Answer 3

X423424X

Level 6

14,265 points

Oct 27, 2011 5:28 PM in response to Azurite

It turns out it's happening every 20 minutes, on the "8"-- 3:38, 3:58, 4:08.

Sounds like you have some kind of alarm clock app installed. Have you installed any? If so check your login items.

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Answer 4

Azurite Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 27, 2011 7:11 PM in response to X423424X

I have BusyCal installed, but no alarms that I could find.

However, I do think I've found the source of the sound: the Firefox add-on "LiveJournal." It routinely checks my LJ and plays a "ding.wav" file whenever there are new posts to my Friends' page. I noticed that the sound started happening more frequently, but after I closed Firefox, it stopped. But since Firefox didn't have any sound/notification settings on its own, I thought to check the extensions, and voila!

I'm pretty sure the problem is solved, but who knows if the sound will mysteriously return...

I

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Answer 5

Oct 27, 2011 7:47 PM in response to Azurite

At first, based on your description, I thought it might be Mail.app alerting you that a new message has arrived. In Mail's "Preferences>General" you have the option to make the "New Message" alert sound "Ping" or "Glass" among others. However, the frequency options are manually or every 1, 5, 15 or 30 minutes, but no option for every 20 minutes.

If you don't use Mail.app and if it turns out not to be Firefox, check your email app.

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