Who here is interested in trading music in MP3 format?

I was thinking of setting up a private FTP for exchanging various music related stuff that we've been talking about here on Q23.

For example, I ordered that Nuggets II set recently, and I'd be more than happy to encode it and share it with you guys:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JGA7

And for Jeff Green, I now have a complete set of Air-- I bought the Virgin Suicides soundtrack, their new album, and I have Premiers Symptomes in MP3 format.

I know, in an ideal world we'd buy every single album we have any desire to listen to. But I spend puh-lenty on music CDs, and I'm sure you guys do too. The goal of this is to listen to some albums you wouldn't necessarily buy.


So.. any takers? Send me an email if you're shy. [email protected]

Oh, wow. I never expected to see the Nuggets set discussed here. Interesting "when worlds collide" moment. Anyway, I love the hell out of the Nuggets 2 set - even more than the first set, which I didn't think would be possible. Maybe it's just because of the fact that much of the material is less familiar, or my dormant anglophile tendencies, but there you have it. Seems like a hell of a lot to download though...

-Matthew

Isn't this illegal? Isn't there a copyright issue? Count me in! Though I dont think i can participate since im on dialup.

etc

I'd be interested in anything from Air ! :-)

I just downloaded Morpheus and downloaded the Boomtown Rats song "I dont like Mondays" I used to love that song... and i havent heard it for a long time until i heard the last few seconds on the radio. Made me want to pirate/steal the song. Yearrgh. I'm a hypocrite.

Anybody remember the story of that song?

etc

Yeah, that woman in the early 80's that killed a whole bunch of people. When they asked her why, her response was "I don't like mondays."

http://www.jerryosborne.com/5-24-99.htm

Pretty badass. But killing eight people doesn't look good on a resume.

She must have been a good shot. I remember reading that she was shooting with a .22 caliber. Sheesh. A xmas present from her dad too. Yeah, killing eight people with a .22 doesnt look good on a resume, well maybe unless you're enlisting as a sharshooter for the USMC!

"Because there are NO REASONS."

etc

Actually, the 22LR is a nasty little round (lots of zip to it).

It's plenty deadly on its own, and fired out of a long gun, it's accurate.

"Just a .22" is a dangerous mindset. It's a gun, not a toy.

--Dave

It cracks me up that you guys are so anti-piracy when it comes to computer games, but not music...Hypocrites!!

Personally, I find myself way more tempted to pirate games...

Also, this seems to be a good time and place to ask this:

My wife keeps asking me to make her a CD that is a collection of her favorite songs -- all of which I'll be consolidating from other CDs that she has.

I know that there are some tricks to this, and since you guys are pretty up on this, I'm open to your suggestions.

Wumpus, you seem to be one of the chief "Music" guys around here -- what do you recommend? Do I need a program to rip the tracks off the CDs?

Advice, please.

Oh, and, while this probably goes without saying -- think "free."

I trade mostly soundtracks -- mostly rares, boots, promos, DVD rips or other forms you usually can't get at your regular store.. so if there was some interest there I might contribute :)

--- Alan

"My wife keeps asking me to make her a CD that is a collection of her favorite songs -- all of which I'll be consolidating from other CDs that she has."

Hmm, well, the first thing you want to do is "rip" the audio tracks. As long as you have the hard drive space, I'd rip them into raw WAV files, which are relatively huge ~50-70mb per song, but also exact copies (eg no quality loss).

Once you have the raw WAV files, most CD-R mastering software supports writing audio CDs. Just select "Audio CD" as the default layout, then it's typically a drag and drop process to place the files in the layout. Click the burn button, and voila-- audio CD playable on any CD player!

FWIW, most people use MusicMatch Jukebox to rip audio tracks these days. Just select "WAV format" in the recorder section..

Unfortunately, I don't have any specific software recommendations for CD-R mastering software. I can tell you that I've had cruel and unusual experiences with Adaptec/Roxio EZ CD Creator and I most emphatically do _NOT_ recommend that. There are a number of good CD-R mastering packages out there; I'd suggest downloading some trial versions of the bigger, more popular names. Try CNET for things like this; they do a good job of putting the most popular/downloaded stuff at the top of their roundups.

Thanks Wumpus -- really, I was more concerned about the recommended ripping software. I've never ripped anything in my life...

I hate the Adaptec stuff, too, but it's what I have, and what I'll probably use -- unless it doesn't work, in which case I'll try something else. I certainly have enough CD-Rs to lose one trying, for the sake of convenience.

"It cracks me up that you guys are so anti-piracy when it comes to computer games, but not music...Hypocrites!!

Personally, I find myself way more tempted to pirate games... "

I think I'd pirate DVD quality movies and music because im a hypocritical bastard. But games? no, because i like to give money to game developers who need more money than Warner Brothers or N Sync. I like to feed the people who give me enjoyment. I like to be sure they are having a well balanced meal and will not starve to death... so as to be able to play more games. But currently i dont pirate at all, except a song here or an old abandonedware game (is that piracy?!?!?).

oh yeah, i use cdex to save CD audios, as mp3 files. though i dont even have a burner... why do i even bother? i think becuase at one point i actually wanted to play mp3's while playing Black and White!!! can you believe that? I had my evil giant Turtle breakin' to "dancing in the dark" by Springsteen. Such is fun....

http://www.cdex.n3.net/

So why is the Adaptec stuff so crappy? What are the problems you've encountered? I'm curious as I started using the Roxxo software that came with my HP burner and haven't had any problems burning stuff yet... do the CDs go bad or something?? :)

The stuff I trade, rare soundtracks, is kind of an iffy gray area as far as piracy goes. They aren't for retail in the first place, and the only people you rip off occasionally is the bootlegger, who may or may not be a thief to begin with (occasionally artists go to bootleggers to put out "better" versions of their music on CD somewhat secretly, behind the backs of music companies). Since many of these soundtracks are never available, the artists and music companies really lose no money over it to begin with.

--- Alan

My understanding -- and my personal experiences confirm it -- is that the Adaptec stuff is pretty unreliable. Sort of a "Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't" kind of deal. It'll act like it's GOING to work every time, but, more often than not, it flakes out and doesn't write what it's supposed to. (Especially when trying to copy CDs.)

Murph-- EXACTLY. Adaptec/Roxio is bad mojo.

On a more positive note-- I got the Nuggets II box set, and I ripped it all to 160kbps MP3s.

I would set up the FTP and invite interested parties to e-mail me, but Unfortunately Verizon took it upon themselves to spontaneously disconnect my DSL.

Wumpus: "What happened to my DSL service?"
Verizon Tech: "What DSL service?"

Oh, the hilarity. I should have it back in a week, supposedly.

The Nuggets II set is really outstanding. Thanks for the recommendation guys. Eat your friggin' heart out, Bauman!

>>The Nuggets II set is really outstanding. Thanks for the recommendation guys. Eat your friggin' heart out, Bauman!

Huh? I have the first Nuggets boxed set, so bite me.

And if you're going to get nasty, I'm afraid I'm going to have to do this to you:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/americasbest/pro.skinney.html

Dammit, Bauman, quit ghostwriting all those damn articles already. You're probably hanging out backstage with the band as I write this. ;)