Download Tips

These tips are based on my own limited experience of downloading MP3 files. It may not be the best advice but it does work and, as far as I know, will not harm your system. The advice assumes that you have a PC with Windows 98 installed.

Saving files onto your Hard Drive

Downloading high quality MP3 files from the internet and saving them on your hard drive is a simple procedure but there can be a few variables to consider depending on what software you have installed and which site you download from. Before you start, it's a good idea to prepare a folder on your hard drive to save them in. When you have located a file that you wish to download, just click on the "download" link and a dialogue box should open. In here you can choose your folder and save the file. A high quality MP3 file can take up to 20 minutes to download depending on size. Some of my tracks are quite long so go and make a cup of coffee.

Once the file has finished downloading, disconnect from the Internet and close your browser. Then open the folder where you saved the file and double click on it. Your default media player should automatically open and play the file. Windows Media Player will play MP3 files. If you don't have anything else on your computer, this will work fine. This is the default player which is installed with the windows operating system.

Sometimes, if you left click on the "download" link, your media player may try and play the file in real time. If this happens, you will need to right click on the download link. A drop down menu list will open. If you're using Windows Internet Explorer, choose "save target as" from the list. If you're using Netscape, choose "save location as". Either of these options will open a dialogue box.  This is the best way to download an MP3 file because it gives you an opportunity to re-name the file. Some files are given an obscure numerical filename by the server. If you re-name the file, you can remember what you downloaded at a later date but make sure that you give it the extension: ".mp3". Then simply choose a folder on your hard drive and click on "save".

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Listening to files in real time

It is also possible to listen to lower quality MP3 files in real time although I personally do not recommend it. The sound quality of these files is very poor and you won't learn much about the music from one audition. Good music needs time to be appreciated. You will need an up to date version of Windows Media Player or another player that can play Real Audio files such as Real Player. For this option choose the "Lo Fi Play" link. You will have to wait a short while for some of the file to be buffered to memory to ensure continuous playback. You have to remain connected to the internet while the music is playing.

Sometimes, if you left click on the "Lo Fi Play" link, you may get prompted to download additional software which you may not need. If you are using Real Player, I suggest right clicking on the link and from the list, choosing "copy shortcut" (Internet Explorer)  or "copy link" (Netscape). Then launch Real Player, click on file, choose "open location", right click in the name field and choose "paste". This action will paste the location of the file on the internet to Real Player. Then click "ok". Real Player should connect to the location of the file on the Internet and the audio should begin streaming.

This procedure will also work with the latest version of Windows Media Player but there are variables. It seems to depend on which web site you are using. If you are unable to listen to streaming audio using your current software you can always download a different application but they all take time to download and take up disk space. It's better just to download a high quality MP3 file to your hard drive. You can always delete it if you don't like it.

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Further Advice

You will need a sound card and speakers to listen to music on your computer. Make sure that the "Wave/Direct Sound" output on your sound card's mixer panel is set to an appropriate level and not muted. You can check this by right clicking on the speaker icon in the system tray. Choose "Open Volume Controls". This will bring up the mixer panel where you can check and adjust your sound card settings.

If you just want to save MP3 files on your computer and listen to them, the standard Windows Media Player, installed with the Windows operating system, is all you need. The newest version (7) will handle all the different audio and video formats, let you organise play lists and play CD's. It can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/en/download and it's free.

There are loads of other free media players available on the Internet and on the cover disks of computer magazines. Winamp is quite a good free program because you can select the tracks you want to listen to from different folders and open them all in the play list. If you like the contents of the play list and think you will listen to it again, you can save the play list and re-load it at a later date. Other media players also let you create and manage play lists but, with some, you can spend more time doing this than listening to the music. Real Player will let you listen to real time streaming audio and Music Match Jukebox will create MP3 files from CD's.

One problem I've discovered with all these programs is that they try and take over your system when you install them. If you like to use your computer for making music, you don't want them occupying system RAM when you start your computer. You may not want them associated with every type of media file on your computer. Also, you may not want the program to play music CD's if you already have a CD player installed. If any of these things bother you, you will need to find the "preferences" or "options" page and change the settings.

If you want to find out more about the different kinds of programs available or just get clued up on MP3, go to the home pages of any of the sites listed on my Links page. They all have advice, information about what you need to get started and solutions to common problems. All the popular programs are reviewed and available for free download.

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