Downloading music is not something that only youngsters do these days. The popularity of this mode of music purchasing is only set to grow, and so it makes sense for all people to acquire an understanding of it. Fortunately, the article that follows below is meant to help individuals of all levels of expertise.
Be sure you check the music file’s size before you open it. Accidentally downloading something is much simpler than you thought it would be. This can harm your computer. Pay close attention to the file size. Delete any file that is larger or smaller than expected.
If you purchase your music through iTunes, pay the extra cash for iTunes Match ($25 per year). This music service gives you access to your entire library on the web – not just the songs you’ve recently purchased. iTunes Match looks at all of your songs and matches them with a cloud version. It’s an excellent way to increase your cloud-based music library.
If you’re downloading music from a little known source, make sure you have recently updated antivirus software running during the download. Anytime you aren’t sure of where the file is coming from, it’s a must to protect your computer. These files could be laced with malware and spyware. You’ll need top antivirus protection to secure your computer.
Many artists have put up their own music for download at under one dollar per song. This is a good way of getting a copy of your favorite song and directing all proceeds back to the artist instead of to a third party distributor. The artist gets paid in full for his work, and you get a great song.
Watch the file sizes of your music downloads carefully. A normal music download will be somewhere between 2 megabytes and 5 megabytes. If you see something much less or much more, there could be something fishy about the file. It may be spyware and not the song you were hoping it was.
Make sure you have broadband internet connection if you download music online. If you have a dial-up connection, the download will be much slower and the files will take forever to transfer. So if you want to enjoy your music right away, a broadband connection is the way to go.
If you are looking for music for your iPod, consider a subscription based site. There are several available, and they allow users access to a huge library of tunes for a one time membership. In most cases, the membership is for life. This is a great way to save money while still finding the music that you love.
There are literally thousands of sites which host music files. Even though many of these website are safe, there are still a great number that contain some infected files. Downloading just one of these infected files could possibly destroy your computer, so it is wise to be cautious. Before downloading a file, always scan it first with your anti-virus program.
Avoid the temptation of downloading popular music from new websites that promise you free music downloads. Due to copyright reasons, most legitimate music downloads are available only with a fee. Websites that advertise free downloads of the latest songs need to be scrutinized because there are often strings attached to their offer which makes the download much more complicated.
If you plan on downloading music frequently, make sure you have a fast Internet connection. Slow connections like dial-up do not handle downloading music files well. It doesn’t do any good to have access to tons of legal music downloads when it takes a long time just to download a few.
Go to some archives of free music to beef up your library. They include public releases which are free. There are a lot that you can check out, and you’re not going to know what kinds of great things you can find if you just look.
Always ensure that when you’re downloading music files, they really are music files. Most music files will be around 2MB to 5MB, but in some rare cases may even go up to 10 MB. However, if the file you are downloading is less than 1MB, so it is measured in kilobytes, they are generally text files.
Rather than trying to download music illegally, think about using a legal online radio station. Pandora, Slackr, and Last.fm are all options for those who want to listen to music without illegal downloads. Most of these sites also have apps available if you have a smart phone at your disposal.
Just about everyone knows a little bit about the concept of music downloads, but not everyone feels confident enough to participate themselves. However, by gaining a fundamental level of understanding of how to accomplish a music download, the doors to hours of enjoyment can be opened. Use the above information liberally and get started now.