It is fun and easy to get all your favorite tunes downloaded to your computer, or some other portable device. This can save you a ton of time and money over buying CDs. In terms of music downloads, it is wise to heed some specific advice. Here is smart advice to start you off.
If you are on the Internet looking for free music downloads, you have to be extremely careful. Downloading music without paying is illegal and is punishable by law. Another reason you want to avoid this is because hackers use music downloads as a way to send viruses to your computer.
One great music downloader you should consider is the Amazon MP3 downloader. You can buy music downloads on Amazon.com, or you can search for all kinds of free downloads with this. Click “Get mp3” on any song you wish to download, and if if the downloader isn’t already installed, you’ll get a prompt for downloading it. After that, choose “Download Song” on the song, and it start downloading it. Then, it will open in the program on your system that opens mP3s.
A great tip to use when thinking about downloading music is to start using pandora radio. Pandora radio can be a great way to discover new music that’s similar to music you already like. You simply create a station based around a song or artist you like, and it will playback similar music for you.
There should always be antivirus software running when you are going to download any music. This protects you from any malicious files that could damage your computer. Be careful when you are downloading music. This is especially important when you are using P2P clients. Always scan a file before you open it. It’s not hard to download a file you had no intention of downloading.
Free Music Archive and The Internet Archive offer free music that is completely legal to download. Check them out if you are working on building your collection. They often contain music from obscure or lesser known artists, and the music spans every genre. Downloading is simple once you are at the site.
For safety sake, download music only from sites you know and trust. This will ensure that the song doesn’t have some sort of virus in it which can leave your computer a mess or your private data open to criminals. Stick to sites like Amazon or iTunes who scan the files they provide.
Keep an eye on bit rates and compression formats. Even a great song isn’t enjoyable if the quality is terrible. Different sites and distributors can vary on their sound quality. Shop around. Pay attention to the quality of the files you are downloading, and only buy music that sounds like it should.
When looking for a website to download music, look for one that offers discounts. Many music download sites offer discounts which are specific to the type of music you listen to. To find these types of promotions, sign up to receive the website’s promotional newsletter or search the name of the website and coupons.
Even though iTunes is the most prominent name in the world of music downloads, it is not the only player in town. Amazon also runs a digital mp3 service that features affordable music and a huge database. In fact, Amazon does even have some material that you can not find on iTunes.
Stay away from any music downloads that require a peer to peer client, also known as p2p software. No matter how slickly designed such sites are, they are probably just an access point for music pirates and torrent users. Avoid these, as almost all torrent activity is a legal risk.
If you like your music to sound the best possible, look for the bitrate of the audio file. The bitrate helps you know at what quality the track that you want was downloaded. For instance, a track that’s been encoded at 256 kilobytes per second will typically sound muck better than one that’s been encoded at 128 kilobytes per second.
If there is a site that you frequently download music on that offers a membership, you may wish to look into it. Some of these websites offer monthly or yearly memberships for a small fee. That small fee generally lets you download all that you want within that time frame. This may be a cheaper option than just buying individual songs or albums.
Avoid sites that want you to install custom software to download music. Unless it is Amazon, they may install programs you just don’t want. This will mean your computer slows or ads pop up in your browser. At worst, your entire identity can be stolen.
While free music downloading sites should be avoided, there are free streaming sites that allow you to build playlists. As for downloading music, avoid any site that has not been established for a significant amount of time, whether paid or free. Go with one you know you can trust so that you can be rest assured your music will always be available to you.
Before you download any music, make sure that you have current anti-virus protection on your computer. I can be rather easy to get a virus that’s attached to your newest download. By having anti-virus software, you can be assured that your computer will automatically check for viruses. It can also clean up any malware that has managed to slip through.
You now have the knowledge you need to establish an impressive music collection. Remember what you have learned in this article, and get the best experience in music downloading. Review them often!
