Get Started Downloading Music With These Top Tips from Food Supplements's blog

First, there were vinyl records and 8-track players. Then, there were cassette players and compact discs. Now, listening to music is as easy is pressing a button on your cell phone or computer. To really enjoy downloading music, be sure to read the following tips so you know what you are doing.

A great tip when downloading music is to preview similar artists on itunes. Most of the time, itunes will show a dozen of similar songs and artists on the right whenever you highlight a song in your library. This can be a great way to discover new music that you like.

If you really love an artist, check out their website for music. Most bands maintain an online presence where they offer information on music and tours, and they will sometimes offer free music there. This might include otherwise unreleased tracks or a song off of a new album they are trying to promote.

Safety is key when it comes to downloading music. That means you shouldn't download any music for free if it isn't offered directly by the artist, production company or some other promotional company. If you do, it is illegal and you can face major fines if you are caught.

Be certain to download music that is high-quality if you would like it to sound even better. Be certain to check the file size of any music file. The higher this number is, the better it sounds.

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 your taste in music changes a lot, consider using a site that allows you to stream music, rather than download it. Streaming allows you to listen to a large variety of songs, but the music never resides on your computer. This can save you money and space on your hard drive, so it is sometimes the better option.

Pay attention to music formats. Music files come in many different formats. Some of these formats are specific to certain music players or music playing devices. Don't download music you can't use. What are you going to use to listen to the music you're downloading? Determine the type of file you will need.

When deciding on a site to download your music from, check out reviews for their user interface. This is especially important if you are a newbie. Some have very complex user interfaces that can be difficult to navigate. Others are more user friendly, and they are a better choice for a beginner.

One way to get a low quality version of a song is to view the music video on YouTube and rip it using software. That said, this method is illegal and you can be charged if you are ever caught. Keep this in mind if you are considering this process.

You have to always pay attention to the size of the files you're downloading. A music file is going to regularly be anywhere between two and five megabytes. If you notice anything much smaller than this, beware. This is usually only going to be a text file and might contain a harmful virus.

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.

Take advantage of free trial periods. If possible, always try before you buy. Don't commit to any sort of subscription before you know it's right for you. Many of the larger online music services offer free trial periods. Make sure the program you choose is easy to use and convenient.

If you like your microphone systems 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.

Avoid downloading music from websites that do not let you test the quality of their music. Some sites claim that they have the highest quality downloads of the music, but when you purchase and download it, it is low quality or edited. Avoid this by only sticking with sites that have some type of "Preview" or "Sample" options.

One suggestion for downloading music legally is by downloading Rhapsody. The program lets you try if free of charge, but for a fee you can download all the music you need. The small fee provides access to a huge amount of legal downloads.

Only download the songs that you like off of an album. Most people consider purchasing the full album cheaper, but when you take into account the amount of filler songs you may not actually appreciate, individual tracks are the way to go. This not only ensures you are paying less, but the music downloads will take up less space on your hard drive.

Beware of downloads that require a lot of file and application downloads. While iTunes is safe, other sites may have malicious files in the software that can harm your computer. Make sure you don't select those options, and just select what music you want to download. If you can't download the music only, think twice about it.

In conclusion, music has changed throughout the times. People used to listen to music by purchasing records, 8-tracks, cassettes and CDs. These days, downloading music is the easiest and most popular way to listen to you favorite music. Use the above advice to see what downloading music has to offer you.