View Full Version : What's the best site to download free music from?
decterlove
06-07-2009, 02:16 PM
I've got a Compaq Armada laptop now.....not too much ram 358 or 6 or something....
Where's the best site to get free music? least likely virus/spyware.....old classics to new? thx...happy Sunday!
There isn't a best site, there's a best way, and that is by downloading torrent files that enable you to do peer to peer sharing. The learning curve is a little steep initially but once you understand the process it will change your life. All music, movies, software etc are available.
Don't bother with mp3s, the quality is lousy, you want FLAC files.
Here's one of many bittorrent trackers with a help file to show you what you need to start. Try typing the name of your favorite band in the search window to see what's available.
btjunkie - the largest bittorrent search engine (https://btjunkie.org/)
As for viruses, they're everywhere if you use a PC, so either learn how to protect yourself or get a Mac.
I've got a Compaq Armada laptop now.....not too much ram 358 or 6 or something....
Where's the best site to get free music? least likely virus/spyware.....old classics to new? thx...happy Sunday!
decterlove
06-07-2009, 09:16 PM
Don't bother with mp3s, the quality is lousy, you want FLAC files.
Thanks for your intelligent reply but it's an MP3 player that I bought in January that I just want to get some songs on.....not that picky about quality.......and I got too many other priorities to focus on an "advanced" way of acquiring a few tunes...
ps....and after using a few Macs this year, I've decided to definitely stick to pcs.........but thanks again for taking the time to reply! cheers....Docterlevo
When you asked for the best, I took your question at face value. You might try Sonoma County library system, they have about 6,000 CDs, and you can ruin the quality by compressing them into MP3s, or you can use a lossless format which reduces them by half with no loss of quality. All the formats can be loaded onto your MP3 player.
Thanks for your intelligent reply but it's an MP3 player that I bought in January that I just want to get some songs on.....not that picky about quality.......and I got too many other priorities to focus on an "advanced" way of acquiring a few tunes...
ps....and after using a few Macs this year, I've decided to definitely stick to pcs.........but thanks again for taking the time to reply! cheers....Docterlevo
https://artzthings.com/e-pins/images/ns-09-a.jpgMusic "shares" allow people to hear from musicians they otherwise would not hear. If you really like an artist, please support them by buying their music. RIAA disclaimer: This information was passed on from an anonymous source:
Each to their own, of course. I avoid torrent sites and downloads. Anything which requires me to turn my firewall off is verboten. Instead, I go to sites which link to archived albums (.rar or .zip) My preference is for full albums. It's also handy to have a rapidshare account, as that is the file storage site most-preferred by people who post albums. You will be frustrated by the pop-up ads. You get what you pay for, eh?
If that works for you, you might try these two sites:
skafunkrastapunk (https://skafunkrastapunk.com/)
bunalti.com (https://www.bunalti.com/)
Both sites offer a full variety of musical genres. If you want a specific artist, use the local search forums to quickly find it. Rapidsearch is especially cool. They have pretty much everything.
Have your firewall operational, and virus scanner and ad-blockers fully updated and functional before visiting any "share" site. You will also need an archiving/unarchiving program. I suggest WinRAR (https://www.waccobb.net/forums/www.winrar.com/). It's shareware, and will handle any archiving format you're likely to encounter.
My preferred browser is Firefox. One reason is that it incorporates a mightyfine download manger as a plug-in: FlashGet (https://www.flashget.com/index_en.htm) This allows you to download multiple files simultaneously, or to set up downloads while you sleep, or whatever.
If you want to make your own mix, and want to D/L individual .mp3 files, you might try this Russian website:
Delit.net (https://delit.net/)
A word about mp3 format: my brother disdains mp3. He considers himself an audiophile (I say snob). He must have "lossless" format, like FLAC. Don't tell him that much of the music he's received from me, has been converted to FLAC from mp3 at 320kb/sec. He can't tell the difference. mp3 has variable quality levels. The higher the mp3 bitrate, the larger the filesize; 320 kb/sec - very good sound quality - wide frequency range, 192kb/sec - good frequency range, fine for non-anal listeners - IPod, car stereo, etc., 128kb/sec - used for "sample" music on website - low frequency range, may sound tinny.
Happy listening!
I doubt Dectorlove will want to learn about extracting .rar or .zip files or dealing with passwords or the viruses that often come embedded in .rar and zips.
As for MP3s sounding good, I invite you to bring over any MP3 (which btw are instantly identifiable, you don't even have to be an audiophile), I'll find the original and we'll do a quick comparision. You may find it to be an ear opening experience. I'll even serve chilled watermelon too. Then, if you like, report in this thread your experience. I'm in Santa Rosa.
https://artzthings.com/e-pins/images/ns-09-a.jpgMusic "shares" allow people to hear from musicians they otherwise would not hear. If you really like an artist, please support them by buying their music. RIAA disclaimer: This information was passed on from an anonymous source:
Each to their own, of course. I avoid torrent sites and downloads. Anything which requires me to turn my firewall off is verboten. Instead, I go to sites which link to archived albums (.rar or .zip) My preference is for full albums. It's also handy to have a rapidshare account, as that is the file storage site most-preferred by people who post albums. You will be frustrated by the pop-up ads. You get what you pay for, eh?
If that works for you, you might try these two sites:
skafunkrastapunk (https://skafunkrastapunk.com/)
bunalti.com (https://www.bunalti.com/)
Both sites offer a full variety of musical genres. If you want a specific artist, use the local search forums to quickly find it. Rapidsearch is especially cool. They have pretty much everything.
Have your firewall operational, and virus scanner and ad-blockers fully updated and functional before visiting any "share" site. You will also need an archiving/unarchiving program. I suggest WinRAR (https://www.waccobb.net/forums/www.winrar.com/). It's shareware, and will handle any archiving format you're likely to encounter.
My preferred browser is Firefox. One reason is that it incorporates a mightyfine download manger as a plug-in: FlashGet (https://www.flashget.com/index_en.htm) This allows you to download multiple files simultaneously, or to set up downloads while you sleep, or whatever.
If you want to make your own mix, and want to D/L individual .mp3 files, you might try this Russian website:
Delit.net (https://delit.net/)
A word about mp3 format: my brother disdains mp3. He considers himself an audiophile (I say snob). He must have "lossless" format, like FLAC. Don't tell him that much of the music he's received from me, has been converted to FLAC from mp3 at 320kb/sec. He can't tell the difference. mp3 has variable quality levels. The higher the mp3 bitrate, the larger the filesize; 320 kb/sec - very good sound quality - wide frequency range, 192kb/sec - good frequency range, fine for non-anal listeners - IPod, car stereo, etc., 128kb/sec - used for "sample" music on website - low frequency range, may sound tinny.
Happy listening!
I doubt Dectorlove will want to learn about extracting .rar or .zip files or dealing with passwords or the viruses that often come embedded in .rar and zips.
OK...then dectorlove, whom you apparently know much better than I do, should ignore my links. Those who want access to the wide variety of music available at the sources I listed...well...happy listening!
After unpacking several thousand (at least) music files from archives, I've never found one which included a virus. Now, executable files, or filetypes containing macros are another story, whether they're contained in an archive or not. But, in genral, anyone who searches the web for anything, music, words, images, or whatever, should take the first step of having the best protective programs they can acquire operational on their computer. Strongly suggest that no one depend on sources which require disabling your local firewall.
As for MP3s sounding good, I invite you to bring over any MP3 (which btw are instantly identifiable, you don't even have to be an audiophile), I'll find the original and we'll do a quick comparision. You may find it to be an ear opening experience. Thanks for you generous offer! However, I'll decline. I'm quite happy with the fine sound quality of the mp3s I listen to. I've found that quality of listening equipment has much more impact on sound quality than file format. Even my "audiophile" bro, quite enjoys mp3's when he listens to them on his IPod, car stereo, and the medium-level home stereo system he can afford.
Regarding using the library's CD's as a source. It's a very limited resource for music, relatively speaking. I don't know what quantity of titles they currently have in their catalog. They have some great titles, and I've checked some of them out, from time to time. However, there are probably millions of titles available world-wide, in thousand of genres. I encourage anyone who loves music, to use the library as a source, in addition to all the great sources available via the web.
As always, if you really enjoy a musician's work, and you can afford the often exhorbitant cost, I encourage you to buy it.
Lots of issues here on a subject dear to my heart, but I don't have time to address them all.
But briefly;
Yes, 320kbps MP3s are very close to the original, but what's the point when a lossless format is only slightly larger? I do have some in my collection, but they're songs I can't get in any other form.
Lots of people don't hear the difference between 128kbps and the original, but then lots of people have little or no sense of taste or smell either.
That some people are more sensitive to nuance doesn't make them snobs.
OK...then dectorlove, whom you apparently know much better than I do, should ignore my links. Those who want access to the wide variety of music available at the sources I listed...well...happy listening!
After unpacking several thousand (at least) music files from archives, I've never found one which included a virus. Now, executable files, or filetypes containing macros are another story, whether they're contained in an archive or not. But, in genral, anyone who searches the web for anything, music, words, images, or whatever, should take the first step of having the best protective programs they can acquire operational on their computer. Strongly suggest that no one depend on sources which require disabling your local firewall.
Thanks for you generous offer! However, I'll decline. I'm quite happy with the fine sound quality of the mp3s I listen to. I've found that quality of listening equipment has much more impact on sound quality than file format. Even my "audiophile" bro, quite enjoys mp3's when he listens to them on his IPod, car stereo, and the medium-level home stereo system he can afford.
Regarding using the library's CD's as a source. It's a very limited resource for music, relatively speaking. I don't know what quantity of titles they currently have in their catalog. They have some great titles, and I've checked some of them out, from time to time. However, there are probably millions of titles available world-wide, in thousand of genres. I encourage anyone who loves music, to use the library as a source, in addition to all the great sources available via the web.
As always, if you really enjoy a musician's work, and you can afford the often exhorbitant cost, I encourage you to buy it.
decterlove
06-11-2009, 08:08 PM
Hey Guys.....sorry for my disappearing act and also for being "resistant" to great advice but I do appreciate the input here and the next time I have a chance to read up I will examine the good information you both offer more carefully.
I'm currently working with a funky laptop and getting an hour or so here and there of computer time at the library so I'm just focusing on the essentials....not the pleasures of life....looks like Decterlove will have a new home soon in Petaluma tho with a working desk and a working desktop as well....Snakes are already there...............thanks!
emvee
06-11-2009, 08:40 PM
These kinds of questions can generate a lot of 'heat'. Let me just say that there is no 'best' place to download. Depends on your individual criteria. Ditto for format; mp3 is fine for some people and purposes, but not all.
I will warn anyone off of the 'torrent' sites for a variety of reasons, primarily that bit torrents are a notorious avenue for malware infections; won't go into all the technical detail, but they turn your computer into a participant in some very unsafe networking; also many of the torrent sites have pirated material, which not everyone is ethically comfortable with.
Yes, this can narrow your choices.
My personal favorite site is the Live Music Archive at www.archive.org (https://www.archive.org). It's community posted recordings of live performances by more bands than you ever thought of, well known and otherwise, who allow their music to be recorded and traded this way. Quality varies.
Btw, There is a good site, www.etree.org (https://www.etree.org), with a lot of downloadable software for dealing with the various types of music file formats.
I've got a Compaq Armada laptop now.....not too much ram 358 or 6 or something....
Where's the best site to get free music? least likely virus/spyware.....old classics to new? thx...happy Sunday!
SpencerB
07-07-2009, 12:19 PM
I use Emusic. You pay for the initial subscription then download for free! I really like this site, everything's in MP3 format. I use Emusic for all of my Free music downloads (https://www.emusic.com/toolbar/download.html)! Enjoy!
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