Download Music & Convert to MP3

This web page helps you through the maze of downloading music and converting it to an unprotected mp3 format so that you can play the song with your choice of software (WMP, ITunes, RealPlayer, etc...) and/or media device (computers, ipod, etc...) .  I believe in purchasing CDs & downloading music to support the song writers, artists and music industry.

Listening to Songs (may want to do this first).

• www.pandora.com - I like this site.  Look for an artist or song then listen to the whole song like you would a radio station. Then other songs from similar type artists play next.  This service is free and you create a login account with your email address. This is like having a radio station that plays songs from artists similar to the one you like.  From here you can buy from itunes.com or amazon.com. 

Download Sites

• www.walmart.com ( http://downloads.walmart.com/swap/ )
  • Warning:  (as of 05/07)
    • Cons
      • WMA files
        • Must be played via Windows Media Player and only on the PC it was downloaded on. 
        • All .wma files can't be played on the IPOD.
        • The download files have licenses tied to WMP and the PC it was downloaded to.
        • Downloads in a .wma (128kbs)
          Directory:
          C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\My Music\Downloads\<Artist>\<CD Name>
      • MP3 files
        • Not sure of the cons, but I assume they are protected.
    • Pros
      • You can convert the .wma to a non encoded mp3 file via burning to a CD. See my steps below in this web page.
  • Customer Service: 1-800-222-8132, from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. Central Time, seven days a week.
  • As of 05/2007 - $0.88 per song for .wma files. $0.99 for MP3s.
    Steps:
    You install a download program from Walmart first.
    Run the program: Start, Programs, Walmart, Walmart Music Downloads Store.
• www.iTunes.com -
  • Download songs for $0.99 .  Warning: The songs use a method of encoding where they can only be played on the hardware that downloaded the song using MP4 technology.
  • Warning:  (as of 05/07)
    • Must be played via iTunes software and only on the PC it was downloaded on.
      • You can copy to your IPOD
      • The download files have licenses tied to the file and the PC it was downloaded to.
  • Customer Service: 1-800-222-8132, from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. Central Time, seven days a week.
  • As of 05/2007 - $0.88 per song. 
    Steps: You install a download program from Walmart first.
• www.emusic.com - Download songs.  You can buy a card at BestBuy.
  • I found that the song selection was not good.  Lots of CDs to buy but not many songs to download.
• Sites I have NOT Used yet.
  • http://www.music.msn.com - uses Rhapsody Player Engine to play songs.
  • www.amazonmp3.com - ( www.pepsistuff.com ) -

Steps to Burn songs on a CD

Note:  I like to burn to a CD-RW and then rip back to a .mp3 format (128k).

Step 1: Get a Blank CD

• If using a CD-R - just use a blank CD.  Once it is burned and closed you can't put new songs on the CD.
• If using a CD-RW - how to make it blank again so you can reuse the CD.
  • Close all applications that might access the CD (including: itunes, windows media player, etc...)
  • Example using Roxio v7:
    Using Roxio v7, launch Drag-To-Disc. 
    Click on the "Menu" icon and choose "Erase Disc".  This option has worked for me in the following cases:  CD Formatted to copy files to, an Audio CD, a MP3 CD, etc...
  • In Windows Explorer, at this time if you Left Click on the Drive (ie: D) it should say: "D:\ is not accessible.  Incorrect function". (Real user friendly message :-) ).  If you Right Click, and chose "Properties" the label should be "Blank Disc" and the type "CD Re-writable Disc"

Step 2: Burn songs to a blank CD.

• Note:  If you burn to a Data Disc the encryption will be retained so I burn to an Audio CD.

Windows Media Player (WMP)

• Place a blank CD disc in your computer.
• Software Incompatibility
  • Roxio v7 Drag-To-Disc:  You must disable "Drag-To-Disc"
    Launch "Drag-To-Disc".  Click on the "Menu" icon.  Choose: "Disable Drag-To-Disc for this drive".
    • If enabled, WMP complains that the drive is in use.
• Launch WMP & Burn an Audio Disc.
  • Under Library, find your songs.
  • On the Menu at the top, click on the little down arrow under "Burn".
    • Audio CD - select this
  • Now, click "Burn". On the right side of the screen you should see "Burn List".
  • Look at the ICON above the "Burn list".  If you see the words "Connect a burner and restart the player" then Windows does
    not recognize the drive.  The "Start Burn" button will stay greyed out and will not start the burn process. 
    You must fix this first!!!  Have fun.... 
    • Any software drivers that controls the drive could be a suspect like Roxio!!!
    • WMP v11.0 - I could never get this version to work (probably an issue with it and Roxio).  So I used WMP v11.0 to play the song and used Roxio v7 Sound Editor to record the Line In music.  Hmmmm, what a mess!!!
  • Drag the songs over to the right of the screen under the section called "Burn List (Current Disk)".
  • Directly under "Burn List" at the very bottom, click "Start Burn".
• Warnings:
  • Protected .WMA files can not be converted to .MP3 files using Roxio.

ITunes Player

• Place a blank CD disc in your computer.
• Create a Playlist of the songs that you want to Burn to Disc.
• Click on the Playlist. 
• Click "File", "Burn playlist to Disc"
• Place the blank disc in the CD.

Step 3:  Rip songs from a CD to MP3 (not encoded or protected)

• Roxio v7 launch "Creator Classic"
  • Click on the icon for the CD drive.
  • Click, "Copy Tracks from Audio CD" which is above the list of tracks.
  • Options:
    File Type: Coding Technologies MP3 encoder  (my favorite)
    File Naming Structure: [artist] - [title]  (my favorite)
    Compression Settings: "Constant Bit Rate" 128 Kbps (11x Compression)  (my favorite)
  • Set the MP3 properties (See "MP3 Properties" below)

Step 4:  Set the MP3 Properties

• Using Win Explorer, right click on the file name and choose "Properties".  You should be able to get these properties from the place where you downloaded the songs.
• Here is the scheme I like to use: (Works well on my IPod and DJ software)
  • File Name:  <artist> - <title>
    (Optional: <artist> - <title> - <genre> <dance style> <bpm>)
  • Artist: <artist name (first last or group name)
  • Album:  <album name if known or just "single">
  • Genre:  <Genre> <Dance Type(s)>
  • Title: <title> - <Genre> <Dance Types> <BPM>
• Basic Genre Categories (my favorite category choices) - then you can add a subcategory.
  • Classic
  • Country
  • R&B
  • Jazz
  • Blues
  • Pop
  • Rap
  • Hip Hop
  • Gospel (or Christian)

Step 5: You are Finished.  You may drag these .mp3's to your IPod etc...