Download Mp3 Music Safely

DON'T Download JUNK! Make sure your download mp3 music is a quality mp3 and that your music download doesn't have hidden downloads that will not only ruin your search for great music but will annoy you and invade your privacy. Here are the four hidden downloads most free music sites install on your computer when you download mp3‘s. 1.Spyware is almost always contained in mp3 freeware and shareware downloads. The spyware gathers information and monitors the activities you perform, unbeknown to you. 2.Adware is also contained in these mp3 download networks. Your computer can and probably will be stuffed with a huge amount of intrusive advertising. 3.Pornography is very prevalent on the Internet. Be very aware that porn peddlers disguise their software as the latest free mp3 download or game demo to redirect your modem to porn sites. 4.Spoofing is when download mp3 networks are filled with fake files. For example, if you download what you think is a popular mp3 song, you will get the same ten seconds of the song over and over again. So in your hunt to download mp3 ‘s and create your own library of music, be selective of which music download site you use. There are many to choose from but few that offer privacy protection, online service, tech help, spyware-free and adware-free downloads, as well as a large library of quality mp3’s. Things have come a long way with regards of how we listen to our favorite music. It's as easy as a push of a button with digital music. Knowing where to start, how you want to listen to your music and what you want to do with it, is the first step. When you download mp3 files from online music services, you need to know what they allow you to do. Some songs are just for listening to, some can be downloaded, and some can be burned to a CD or a portable music player. A few owners of certain artists pub-2403258503801684lishing rights will not grant the license rights, which means some mp3's are not available for downloading. The majority of the time, you'll find what you're looking for because the larger download MP3 subscription music web sites have access to the catalog of the Five Big Labels – Sony, Warner, Universal, EMI, and BMG, which account for about 80% of recorded music. So now that you have the facts on how to download mp3 ‘s, do some research for quality music download sites, take advantage of any Free Trials, download lot’s of music, turn up the volume and don’t forget to Sing Along!

Downloading Music!

MP3 technology was the catalyst to one of the biggest revolutions in the media business in nearly 30 years. When cassette tapes became popular in the late 1970's and early 1980's, the music industry did the now-familiar Chicken Little dance about its way of life being destroyed. The industry quickly co-opted that threat, turning albums on cassettes into a very lucrative business. In the mid-80's, CDs promised superior quality at lower prices, but we wound up only getting the better quality. Consumers never got the promised price break—album prices continued to climb. Those chickens would come home to roost soon enough. It's taken the music industry the better part of ten years to finally devise some legal alternatives to the P2P file-sharing networks, and now there are well over a dozen online music services legally offering a wide range of genres to satisfy most musical palettes. Aside from one service's downloads being three cents cheaper than the next, what sets them apart? Which one gives you most flexibility about how you enjoy your music? And which one really gives you the most of what you want for your money?

Downloading MP3's made easy

The MP3 movement started out with a huge audience of music enthusiasts on the internet. The MP3 digital music format has had, and will continue to have, a huge impart on how people, gather, listen to and share music. The MP3 format is a compression system for digital music that helps reduce the size of a digitized song without disturbing the sound quality. Digital music is converted to MP3 format and made available for use, usually via the web. MP3 files can be downloaded onto your computer from the internet and special software, either commercial or freeware. Using your computer and software you can convert digital music from a CD into MP3 format. MP3 files can be played in three different ways: 1. They can be played directly onto your computer. 2. They can be decompressed and recorded onto a CD. 3. These files can be played on a portable MP3 player. The advantage of MP3 players is that they are small, lightweight and rugged. They are a great way to carry your MP3 files with you! With a portable MP3 player, a personal computer, and the appropriate software, you can do the following: 1. Obtain free or low-cost music from the web. 2. Create your own mix of music by downloading MP3 files from the web and converting the tracks from CDs. 3. Listen to near-CD quality music wherever you go. 4. Listen to more music (up to 10 hours' worth). If you want to convert your songs from your CDs into MP3 files, you can use ripper and encoder software. A ripper copies a song's file from the CD onto your hard disk. The encoder compresses the song into the MP3 format. By encoding songs, you can play them on your computer or take them with you on your MP3 player. The ripper and encoder software may come with your MP3 player. The specific instructions will vary with the individual software programs, but the following steps will definitely take place: 1. Place the CD from which you want to convert songs into your drive. 2. Select the track(s) that you want to convert to MP3 format. 3. Convert the selected track(s). 4. Copy the new MP3 files on to your computer's hard disk. Now you are ready to download these MP3 files into your portable MP3 player. Once you have MP3 files on your computer, you can use the software that came with your MP3 player to download the files into your MP3 player. Again, the specific instructions will vary depending upon your software program and player, but you will: 1. Create a playlist from your MP3 files. 2. Plug the player into your computer's parallel of USB port. 3. Transfer the MP3 files according to the instructions. Once you have downloaded the MP3 files into your portable MP3 player, you are ready to take your music anywhere. Most MP3 players are small, lightweight, and solid-state. Because most players are solid-state, there are no moving parts to break down or skip, so the sound quality is uninterrupted regardless of your physical activity. MP3 players are equipped with various types of headphones or earpieces. Portable MP3 players can play music longer than a portable CD player. The length of play for a CD player is about 74 minutes, the length of one CD. However, the length of play for an MP3 player depends upon its memory capacity, which can be upgraded on some models. A standard MP3 player can play for about half an hour (32 MB) to a few weeks (40 GB)! Some models can be upgraded with additional memory devices.

Burton Gaar Releases Track “Hurricane Trouble” To Organize Relief Effort

New Orleans, LA--October 20, 2005—Burton Gaar has been singing and playing the blues for many years now. Recent events have shaken our country and brought us together to help our fellow man. Now, never have the blues been more true to life than in Louisiana. Gaar is feeling the effects of the devastation of hurricane Katrina just like his brothers and sisters that call the delta their home. He decided to make a step in the right direction by recording and releasing “Hurricane Trouble,” a rockin’ blues number to get all of that feeling across to the world in his music. Gaar encapsulates whom he is by saying- “I play the crap out of the blues.” Indeed, he does, as the track is literal hurricane of blues guitar licks. The objective of Gaar is to raise awareness of the need for aid in Louisiana. He wants to organize a benefit concert to assist musicians and their families that have lost everything due to the storm. The hope is that “Hurricane Trouble” will circulate quickly and jump-start the entire process of getting people together for the cause. Gaar invites everyone to send an e-mail to him @ burtongaar@webtv.net and request a MP3 of the song, he will send it to you with hopes that you will pass it on to spread the word carried in the song. Louisiana and the victims of the hurricane need you and music is the best way to reach out and touch the masses. Acknowledge his efforts by sending him an e-mail and requesting the song today. In the spirit of brotherhood and good will listen to the song and then send it to as many people as you can.

Booking Gigs

Most everything you are told about booking gigs is wrong. An average band hears so much advice from so-called experts they can write a book about it. Most misconceptions are harmless. The ones that cause the most damage are the ones that are the most popular. Popular opinion should almost ALWAYS be avoided when dealing with the music business. This report is meant to deprogram you and tell you what no one will share about really booking better gigs. It is important to attack the root of misconception fast. Therefore I will take a stab at it now. If you are a good band playing horrible gigs it is most likely because you have a skewed perspective of "time line". This article will be littered with the term "maintaining time line". This is not some trendy "industry term". This is simply the best way to describe your main priority in the quest to tour on your own 4 wheels. What is "time line"? Time line is a concept. It doesn't really exist. You have to think of it as rule that governs your music business habits. If your time line is too short, your success at gigs will be sporadic. If your time line is too long you will remain stagnant. You have to handle your gigging schedule with precision and thought. You must tweak your time line in order to correct what ails your band. LESS IS MORE This may be a cliché you hear tossed around a lot in the music business, but it is seldom followed. Playing too often in any market will kill your draw. That is the bottom line. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. I will spare you all the metrics and sterile accounting speak that proves this point. You must break free of the shackles of saturation if you are going to maintain time line and reach booking zen. THE WAR You want to think of booking your band like a war. There are territories you must win. From here on out we will refer to these as markets. You have to find a way into each market and begin your campaign. For the remainder of the report these will be referred to as gigs. You must find allies that align with your intentions and best interests. In other words, bands. You must find a marketplace that has something to gain from your war. This report will refer to them as promoters. WHO WILL HELP YOU THE MOST The one thing that will probably surprise you the most is where to start getting better gigs. Many of you started out "cold calling" clubs out of the phone book or local rag and ask for a gig. Although this smash and grab attempt can create some lucky opportunities here and there, it will destroy your time line. The truth is, bands that are already successful in that venue will be your greatest ally. If already have some "cherry popping" gigs under your belt, or a demo, this will be crucial in forging a relationship with bands. Many good drawing bands will have very strong connections with local promoters. Promoters are drawn to them because these bands are a vital commodity in their industry. Club owners and promoters plan to have these bands a certain many times in the year and account for so much business. Usually, in this type of relationship the band can book virtually at will and many times can create bills, or cards. Your best bet is to align with such a band. If you can do this it will launch your time line correctly. WHEN TO DO IT YOURSELF Assuming your first gig at a venue was under the circumstance outlined above you should make sure you meet the promoter and/or club owner that night. You want to make an impact. When a promoter feels like giving you a bone he doesn't want to throw it. Your initial gig at a venue via another band is the best time to see if the promoter was even paying attention. If they were they might need you for another bill, but you have to come to them. LEVERAGE Your draw in your home market will determine your leverage against other markets. In other words, a following in your market will create opportunities in others. This does NOT mean "create buzz here and then everyone will beg for us elsewhere". This means you can now find other bands in other markets that are successful and trade shows, or "swap gigs". Other bands that want to break into your market will want to align themselves with you. Repeating this across multiple markets, and applying a solid time line, will create success. You will also always have a good show supporting locals who draw at least as much as you do on other markets. Creating this leverage, by raising your draw, will be the key to routing better gigs across markets. How does one do this? Simple. Maintaining time line. HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU GIG IN ONE MARKET When you are fist starting out, it is important to play whatever gigs you can to get the hang of how it works. Think of those early gigs as practice. Think of the gigs you do supporting better drawing bands as where you really iron out your craft. Eventually you are going to want to test the waters and see what you are really worth. A band will, at some point, have to go out on its own and try to "headline", or put their own bill together as the "biggest" band. The first couple of times you do this it should be no more than once every 6 weeks. When your time line is ready to be set at optimum performance you should not headline any one market more than 4 or 5 times a year, or once per season. That's right, your time line gets longer, not shorter. When everything is working properly you will play less gigs, but with significantly more draw at each. CHOOSING THE RIGHT VENUE You want to fight battle you know you can win (we will talk more about battles in a moment). You want to play where you are confident you can draw. If you know a certain venue is famous for having death metal bands, and your name is DECAYING FLESH, you should probably put that club high in the running to become your home venue.The venue you draw the most at should be the one you concentrate on in the market. WAR IS MADE UP OF BATTLES As General, it is important to have a keen sense of delegation. You must be aware that the entire campaign is on your shoulders, but you have resources and a team of people to help you. Your band may not seem like an awesome war machine now, but you have to think logically. You have to delegate. The easiest way to start creating a draw is to first hit your friends via your band mates. Delegate a realistic amount of responsibility to the other players in your band with a real value. You should start with "heads", or people they bring. Every member of your band should feel they are responsible to bring 20 heads that pay to get in. Instead of looking at your promotional campaign as a daunting war you will gain more ground with your band fighting smaller battles at once. Some of the members of your band will have 20 cousins who will love to come. Some of your band members will have to resort to begging ex-girlfriends they dumped. Most of you will go the traditional route and hand out fliers at shows. No matter how, you each must meet your goal of 20 heads. The PR and marketing front is a whole other battle. The Internet has made it possible to have your music heard, gigs found, and pictures seen across the world in hyper-speed. Properly presenting your image will be very important on this front. If you feel you need help in presenting your image you should refer to my previous article "The Truth Behind Press Kits, Bios, and Controlling Your Image". Remember, there are bands in other markets looking for bands to swap with, so make sure you are easy to find on the Internet. OPTIMIMIZING YOUR TIME LINE At first, you might be surprised that you do not meet our goal of 20 heads per member. Do not be discouraged. But when you finally create that watermark you are ready to begin stretching your time line and playing less gigs. You should reserve your headlining events for once a season and only break that rule for an opening slot for a national act or a great promotional opportunity like a benefit. GROWTH At this point you should be concentrating only on creating new fans. Think of the first wave of friends as your new soldiers. Delegate some task to them with a real value. A good starting point is having all your friends get at least 2 people to the next show or to at least sign up for the mailing list on your website. You have a website with a mailing list don't you? You should not neglect historical methods of creating interest. Giving away free tickets to people who sign up to your list always gets some response. Promoting the fact you are giving away something for free at the next gig works too. The actual venue that you play is often overlooked as a great place to promote. Not just by handing out fliers to patrons, but perhaps posters and banners. Most clubs will not have a problem with you putting up promotional materials around the venue. Always get a professional artist or art student to create your posters and fliers. This is the first thing many people will see promoting your band, make sure it counts. MERCH If you can afford merchandise, or "merch", like apparel and stickers, it can be a great revenue stream for your band. But again, you have to apply time line to your stocking habits. You want to be able to create and sell a new item at every couple of shows. Even if all you can afford are some new stickers or a new style button, do it. So if you really want to get those expensive glow-in-the-dark sweaters that say your band's name when you press a button make sure you have enough to get some more new merch soon. New merch is a great way to train your fanbase. You have to train your fanbase to bring money to your gigs. When your fans are expecting new merch they are more likely to come prepared, or "armed with dough". Go to Scenejumper.com for more info DIVIDE AND CONQUER Use your newfound leverage to repeat success across multiple markets. Trade shows wisely and always do your research. Always make sure a gig swap is really worth it. Choose your markets carefully. It should be practical and affordable to gig other markets. You want to move out from your home base logically. Eventually you will be able to easily route yourself across your surrounding markets. Applying the proper time line and work ethic you can do mini-tours every season.

Are Free File Download Services Really Safe

On Monday June 27, 2005 the Supreme Court ruled that Grokster and Streamsoft, two free file download services, were operating illegally because they were allegedly encouraging illegal downloads of copyrighted material. Encouraging it...that was what the Supreme Court said. These were free services that were encouraging illegal activity. Would this have happened if they had had paying customers? In other words, would a paid file download service be better than a free download service? I think so, and here's my reasoning why... If you consider that every dollar paid is like a vote, then it becomes clear the paid file downloading services are much more accountable than free file downloading services. If you follow my metaphor so far, then you may see how a paid file download service is like an elected official, and a free file download service is like a dictator. Here's how they differ: 1. If an elected official doesn't get enough votes, the elected official doesn't get re-elected and is "out of there". 2. A dictator doesn't care about votes. A dictator does whatever they want. And, if you get hurt by what they do.... well, it's YOUR problem. Basically, it's all about accountability. A legitimate business has to make money to survive. If a business hurts people, customers will stop buying from that business and go elsewhere. And, if people stop buying from that business, then that business is "out of there" (just like the elected official which loses votes). But a free file sharing service can "do what it wants", just like a dictator, and if they even go to the level of encouraging you to do things that are illegal, even lying to you by telling you that it's perfectly legal... well it's no skin off their nose. It's your problem! Or so they thought...up to now. For the first time, the Supreme Court has made these shady liars legally responsible for their bad behavior. They got away with it in the past by "advising" people to do things that were potentially illegal. They rationalized it by saying "Hey, we aren't the ones actually doing it, so we shouldn't be held responsible." But the Supreme Court has finally cleared this up. They are responsible, and can now be sued for their actions. Even if they did it for "FREE". "FREE"... that was the draw that got so many innocent kids downloading songs, videos, movies, games, etc. illegally without knowing it. The "FREE" file downloading services were just exploiting these kids' ignorance. Paid download services can't afford this kind of behavior. They look at this as a business. If they start getting their customers in trouble, word gets around pretty fast on the internet, and their business will become toast! Think of this like NetFlix, who doesn't sell download services, but sends out CDs and DVDs through the mail. What would happen to them if they "encouraged" purchasing illegally copied movies or music from them? Yeah you got it... toast! But the "FREE" file sharing services that are encouraging kids to do this thought they could get away with this indefinitely because "they weren't making any money off of it, and after all, they weren't the actual people doing the downloading." Nice legal trickery... good thing it won't work anymore! So... the question still begging to be asked is: "Are paid file download services better than free file download services?" I'll let you take it from here... ;^)

Alternatives to Digital Audio

Although MP3 is the most popular format for encoding music, it is by no means the only one. There are two basic methods for compressing audio – lossless and lossy, and for each of these methods there are many formats. Lossless compression means that none of the audio data is removed during compression. Lossy compression means that audio data is permanently removed from the audio file. Lossy compression results in smaller files, but there is no way to rebuild the audio data to its original format. MP3 is an example of lossy compression. Lossy Compression Formats There are many alternatives to MP3 when it comes to encoding audio files. Microsoft reportedly developed the WMA format to avoid the licensing costs associated with MP3. WMA files can be played with the Windows Media Player that is included with the Windows operating system as well as many other audio players. It features similar encoding rates to MP3 and similar file sizes. AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is the format preferred by Apple and is used for its popular iTunes and iPod products. AAC files can be smaller than MP3 files because it uses more efficient encoding technology. A 96 kpbs AAC file is similar in sound quality to a 128 kbps MP3 file. Ogg Vorbis is another type of lossy compression and uses .OGG as the file extension. It is an open-source product and unlike MP3, there are no patent restrictions on its use. Lossless Compression For the audio purist who insists on the best quality sound possible, lossless compression offers CD quality sound. The tradeoff is larger files sizes – while MP3 can compress audio in the range of 80% - 90%, lossless compression typically compresses the file by half. Popular lossless formats include FLAC, Monkey’s Audio, and SHN (Shorten). These formats are supported by many audio players and are popular for archiving CD collections as well as for trading music.