Help... Downloading music for a novice

[phil1979]

I am one of three people on the planet that doesn't have an ipod, so I am new to downloading music.

But now I need to put together a CD for an event, consisting of about 40 songs that I do not have in my existing CD collection.

I don't need to download to an ipod... I just need to download to my PC and from there burn a CD.

What's the best and easiest (and quickest place) to do this? I don't mind paying for the music, so I'm not after dodgy free sites etc. Also, if it makes any difference, I am using a PC and not a Mac.

Thanks for any advice.

[ZesPak]

Well, as fked up as iTunes is, it does have the biggest selection of music online.
If you don't want to go through the illegal phase (torrents for example, great for music, I've been told), iTunes is the way to go atm.

[twiglove]

If you want to do it legally, I have found amazon is way cheaper than iTunes

[Vespula]

iTunes is great. Amazon is cheaper.

[RicksAlfas]

I'm an imbecile when it comes to these things and have found Amazon downloads very easy to use on my PC.

[KB_S1]

I use iTunes whenever I need to get ahold of singles.
It automatically catalogues everything I put in alongside my albums that I have imported in already.
So simple.

Which for me is good.

[Kuroblack350]

twiglove said:

If you want to do it legally, I have found amazon is way cheaper than iTunes

Amazon all the way. Very easy to use, you install the Amazon downloader which handles everything for you, including adding them to either your windows media player library, or iTunes library.

Plus, no DRM IIRC (Digital Rights Management - essentially means you can do as you wish with them once bought, burn them to disk as many times as you want etc.

[phil1979]

Thanks all - much appreciated.

(Last question.... roughly how much does it cost per song to download?)

[Cas_P]

Amazon have a lot of music now too, download, insert a blank cd open a cd making program (there's probably one on your computer) add songs click burn, failing that you can use media player but it seems to take forever so I never do.

[Vespula]

phil1979 said:

Thanks all - much appreciated.

(Last question.... roughly how much does it cost per song to download?)

Flipping Heck Phil, just have a look at iTunes and Amazon

Under a quid a track.

[DarrenL]

tunechecker.com will give you the cheapest price for tracks and albums, its run by Martin summinkorovver from MoneySavingExpert.com

[Cas_P]

phil1979 said:

Thanks all - much appreciated.

(Last question.... roughly how much does it cost per song to download?)

Depends on the songs, go on the site and look....

[OlliePlimsoll]

The new HMV one looks OK, some tracks are 49p.

[phil1979]

Cas_P said:

phil1979 said:

Thanks all - much appreciated.

(Last question.... roughly how much does it cost per song to download?)

Depends on the songs, go on the site and look....

Thanks. I had a quick scan and I got the impression I had to download all the software before I could have a gander at costs etc. I will dig deeper....

Cheers all, especially Neil for his kind offer via email.

[onlynik]

You can compare prices for tracks here.

http://www.tunechecker.com/

[phil1979]

Last question, I promise!!!!!

If I need to burn some tracks etc to a CD, what cds should I actually be buying? I am seeing CD-r and CD+r..... I don't want to buy a pack of 10, open them up, use one, and it doesn't work. Is there any difference?

For info, my PC says Compact Disc Re-Writable on the front, with a '+' sign next to it with small text saying 'ultra speed'. I'm not sure if the + sign relates to the type of CD that I need to purchase.

Thanks again
P.

[ZesPak]

phil1979 said:

Last question, I promise!!!!!

If I need to burn some tracks etc to a CD, what cds should I actually be buying? I am seeing CD-r and CD+r..... I don't want to buy a pack of 10, open them up, use one, and it doesn't work. Is there any difference?

For info, my PC says Compact Disc Re-Writable on the front, with a '+' sign next to it with small text saying 'ultra speed'. I'm not sure if the + sign relates to the type of CD that I need to purchase.

Thanks again
P.

It's been a long time since I've used CD's, but do they come in CD-R and CD+R? You sure you're not confusing them with DVD's?

IIRC, there is no "+" or "-" for CD's, it's just the one kind.

[phil1979]

ZesPak said:

phil1979 said:

Last question, I promise!!!!!

If I need to burn some tracks etc to a CD, what cds should I actually be buying? I am seeing CD-r and CD+r..... I don't want to buy a pack of 10, open them up, use one, and it doesn't work. Is there any difference?

For info, my PC says Compact Disc Re-Writable on the front, with a '+' sign next to it with small text saying 'ultra speed'. I'm not sure if the + sign relates to the type of CD that I need to purchase.

Thanks again
P.

It's been a long time since I've used CD's, but do they come in CD-R and CD+R? You sure you're not confusing them with DVD's?

IIRC, there is no "+" or "-" for CD's, it's just the one kind.

I think you may be right - I hope so anyway... it saves me having to make a choice!

[NDA]

I think, and I'm no expert on CD's these days, that to be doubly sure, you should buy blank CD's with an 'audio' feature.

Some older CD players will not play home recorded CD's, you should double check that your disc will definitely play.

An alternative might be to borrow someone's iPod with the relevant lead to plug into the sound system and have your tracks as MP3's.

[ZesPak]

NDA said:

I think, and I'm no expert on CD's these days, that to be doubly sure, you should buy blank CD's with an 'audio' feature.

Some older CD players will not play home recorded CD's, you should double check that your disc will definitely play.

An alternative might be to borrow someone's iPod with the relevant lead to plug into the sound system and have your tracks as MP3's.

The "audio feature" is a scam, these have extra tax on them for music artists.