This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series inaugurated by JLee with his original Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a phrase adheres to a certain rule, then I call it a Tone Phrase™.
Use the examples below to find the rule.
And in CSV:
Tone Phrases™, Not Tone Phrases™
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A DUMB CHEF VOTING, AN IDIOT COOK CHOOSING
ADOBE FINCH, MICROSOFT LARK
BEACH MOUND, SAND CASTLE
CAGED BACON, TRAPPED PORK
CAVED TOMB, BROKEN GRAVE
COMBAT FUND, WAR BUDGET
DAMNED BEE, ACCURSED WASP
DEBUG A DAEMON, TROUBLESHOOT A SERVICE
DUTCH BAG, NETHERLAND SACK
FOAMING GUMBO, FROTHY CHOWDER
FUDGE MOCHA, CHOCOLATE COFFEE
FUMING CAD, ANGRY CRIMINAL
HANGING CHAD, VOTE MALFUNCTION
MAD CUB, ANGRY BEAR
NUMB FAME, WARM MEDIOCRITY
VEGAN COMB, MEAT BRUSH
First Hint
Now that it's after March 1984, I could get away with using a different name for this puzzle. AT&T would have sued me before then.
2nd hint
You do have a phone nearby, right?
3rd hint
"Choosing" is a poor synonym for "voting", but "electing" would have broken the rule.
4th hint
Certain letters and numbers are not allowed.
5th hint
The numbers associated with Tone Phrases on a dialpad have a property that numbers associated with Non-Tone-Phrases do not.