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Music downloading: where do I begin? How can I find all of the songs I'd like to download? Where are the best places to look? What more do I need to know to make the process a piece of cake? This article will tell you all you need to know.



A good tip to think about when you're looking to download music is to be completely sure that you're downloading the right version of whatever it is that you want. You might want something specific, perhaps the radio version of a song. It can be difficult to make sure you download exactly what you want.




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You can obtain free and cheap music downloads from some band websites. Some popular bands like to give away rare tracks, live tracks, and rough cuts that you won't find on their albums. These are usually free or really cheap on their own websites. This is a great way to not only get music from a band you like, but to get access to cool extras that you won't find at large online music retailers.



Don't try to download music from a place where you can't trust where it's coming from. For instance, you shouldn't use pirating software to get your music. This is because you could end up downloading a virus or spyware. It's also against the law to do this, so only get downloads from trusted sources.



Take a look at the size of the file you have downloaded prior to clicking on it. You never know what could be hidden in there. This can damage your computer. One way to be safe is to make note of the file size to make sure you are downloading the correct file. Any individual file that is obviously not the size of a standard MP3 needs to be thrown away unopened.



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.



Always have an updated anti-virus program on any device that you download music on. There are many people who would love to have access to the files on your system. If you do not have a good anti-virus program on your device, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to hacking attempts and viruses.



Instead of sampling just a few tracks from your favorite artist, purchase the full album. It is often cheaper to buy an entire album than it is to download individual songs. This also provides the advantage of you having access to much more music for exploration. You may even be glad you took a chance and find other favorite tracks.



Make sure you have broadband internet connection if you download http://del.icio.us/oneseocompany2/Dallas%20Comic%20Con . If you have a dial-up connection, the download will be much slower and http://moviepilot.com/posts/2354795 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're downloading music files, make sure you actually listen to the music file before you make the final step to purchase it. You want something that's good quality before you buy it. That is particularly true if the company you're buying from isn't well-known. You also guarantee that you are obtaining the music you desire.



If money is tight, you may want to buy a CD from Amazon.com instead of buying a digital track for 99 cents. CDs these days, especially used ones on Amazon, are really cheap. You can buy many of your favorites for just a few dollars. Then when you get it, burn the songs from the CD to make them digital downloads. So for the price of 1 or 2 songs, you've just gotten 10 to 15 songs.



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.



Find free MP3s at some free music archives. These archives offer publicly released music that is both free and legal to download. There are a plethora of available songs and artists, and you just might find many tunes you never knew before as you browse.



In order to make yourself a master of the topic, you have read this article in full. Now you just need to share that knowledge with the world as you put it to use. Be sure to let others know what you know so that they can benefit as well.