How do you consume music these days?

[Heathen]

unless you upload (which is damn difficult without new release access)

It's not. Plenty of free FLAC to be found on bandcamp + scene releases.

Bandcamp I didn't even think of but don't most scene releases hit what.cd first?

We should move this discussion to the What/Waffles thread...but another thing that's important is tagging your uploads with as many tags as reasonably possible, since many users have scripts set up to automatically download new uploads. So that obscure band you found on Bandcamp, instead of just tagging them "indie," try "rock, 2010s, alternative, pop, indie.pop, singer.songwriter." Doesn't really matter if it's accurate, since most people with auto-download scripts won't listen anyways.

uh yes it fucking matters, people using shitty/irrelevant tags are fucking with other users

unless you upload (which is damn difficult without new release access)

It's not. Plenty of free FLAC to be found on bandcamp + scene releases.

Bandcamp I didn't even think of but don't most scene releases hit what.cd first?

Most do but I was looking at http://orlydb.com the other day and noticed there was plenty of stuff that wasn't uploaded yet, especially non-US/UK stuff.

[Simple Torture]

unless you upload (which is damn difficult without new release access)

It's not. Plenty of free FLAC to be found on bandcamp + scene releases.

Bandcamp I didn't even think of but don't most scene releases hit what.cd first?

We should move this discussion to the What/Waffles thread...but another thing that's important is tagging your uploads with as many tags as reasonably possible, since many users have scripts set up to automatically download new uploads. So that obscure band you found on Bandcamp, instead of just tagging them "indie," try "rock, 2010s, alternative, pop, indie.pop, singer.songwriter." Doesn't really matter if it's accurate, since most people with auto-download scripts won't listen anyways.

uh yes it fucking matters, people using shitty/irrelevant tags are fucking with other users

I didn't say to use irrelevant tags--just to use everything that's possibly reasonable. All of those tags could certainly describe the same artist; it's not like I was advocating "hip.hop" and "surf" on the same upload. This also isn't something I do--I also don't think I've ever searched by tags on that site.

[Heathen]

alright then, my bad

[Brett]

Whatever fits best with my ethics and is of good enough quality. I generally go with CDs, because they're more economical, but I've got a few releases on vinyl or cassette because they're wasn't another physical release option. Bandcamp and the Free Music Archive are great resources, too, especially for stuff that is basically unavailable in a physical format, or for streaming music at good quality with no interruptions. Foobar is my computer music player of choice, although I also use Spotify for stuff I don't own and is a little more on the radar, and occasionally Pandora when I'm more in the mood for something like a radio. I don't generally go the pirating route unless I can't preview something any other way, or it's the only way to get something that's very hard to find or very rare.

[oasisfan35]

unless you upload (which is damn difficult without new release access)

It's not. Plenty of free FLAC to be found on bandcamp + scene releases.

Bandcamp I didn't even think of but don't most scene releases hit what.cd first?

Most do but I was looking at http://orlydb.com the other day and noticed there was plenty of stuff that wasn't uploaded yet, especially non-US/UK stuff.

Gotcha... truth is I haven't paid as close attention since the FTP hay days.

On topic, I use Winamp on my PCs, phone and tablet. Most of my listening to albums is at work or in the car where I'll tend to burn FLACs to toss in the changer or every so often an MP3 disc. On weekends, when I have the time, I'll turn my audio archive on and listen to primarily live shows and outtakes, etc.

I tend to only purchase physical CDs from smaller groups and often at shows or when there are shipping deals. The only only physical discs I purchase from bigger names, seeing as my oasis collection is fairly locked up, is Dave Matthews Band but with their download only series getting more attention I can see them getting away from pressed discs soon.

For legit MP3 downloads I tend to use Amazon, the last was the Season 7 soundtrack for Californication, I also had a credit to use.

I very rarely hit the shuffle button and even then it's for a specific artist, I take albums/shows in in their entirety.

[bodysnatcher]

Vinyl or streaming with our Sonos system. I have a big library set up via a NAS box that I can stream to my Sonos. I don't do flac simply bc at a certain point, I can't hear the difference (small speakers, streaming over wifi, etc), so I scout out the best quality mp3s. Also have a Spotify account, Last.fm, and our local radio station is pretty kick ass.

[southp]

Purchases = exclusively vinyl for any artist that I know and love or for new music that I've sampled with an illegal download

Digital at Home = FLAC or HD FLAC (when available) or 320kbps Mp3 if necessary, all stored and tagged with J-River media centre. Most of it coming from What or Piratebay and stored on a 1TB external drive connected to my home network.

Digital on the Go = Mp3 stored on a 16GB SD disc that can be played through my car stereo. I update it every month-or-so with the latest stuff I've downloaded.

At home I'm 50/50 between vinyl and digital which both play through my amp/speakers. With the J-River app I'm able to control or play my library through my phone or tablet while I'm on my home network. That makes it great for shuffling or creating playlists of new stuff. This is usually for passive listening, while cooking, having guests over, etc. When I want to sit and actively listen to an album I will always prefer the turntable, however...

In recent months I've had a lot of extra monthly bandwidth leftover so I've been trying to "backup" some of my favorites with HD audio files wherever possible. Those of you who know me here, know I'm a big proponent of vinyl, but I have to say that an HD flac file sounds pretty damn good to my ears! If disk space is not an issue we should all be moving in this direction because it won't be long that we'll be regretting those gigs and gigs of mp3's sitting on our computers.... and for that, I blame itunes.

[Heathen]

I appreciate that my loathing for iTunes is no doubt largely due to operator refusal to learn the various ins-and-outs of the program. My biggest issue though is that I am very much a folder-structure-driven guy and that at any point in time I like to know exactly where my digital files are located. I want to be able to simply browse to a folder that holds a particular album and select all songs and play them. This whole "iTunes is your music library" concept drives me nuts. I can't tell you how many frustrating conversations I've had with my Bro-in-Law who treats me as a default tech support guy over iTunes. One time he wanted to copy all his mp3s to a harddrive and I'm like "Where are your mp3s located?". He's "There in iTunes." As if that's a real answer. I'm "I know they are in iTunes, but where are the actual mp3 files?" and he can't get past "They're in iTunes for Christ's sake!"..

I don't understand the problem. Maybe the PC version of iTunes is very different but on my Mac there is no problem having a structure for your files and access/copy/move/edit them just like any other file on the computer. I happen to not be anal at all so I have music files all over the place but if I wanted to have just one big music folder and subfolders for artists/albums/whatever it wouldn't be an issue at all with iTunes.

Also, there is nothing to learn, you just import your music files (whether they are neatly organized or anarchic) into iTunes and then you browse them by artist or album or genre or playlist etc. and just play.

[Jorge]

Yeah, people are weird about iTunes. Also, if you validate your iTunes Library, it puts all the files into a single folder.

[William Bloke]

The problem I describe isn't to do with not being able to have a set file structure in iTunes, you can and that's totally up to you. My problem was more that the basic iTunes user (in this case my Brother in law) couldn't move away from the concept that his music was simply "in iTunes".

This happened a few years ago and I'm sure that Apple would be very happy with the thought that someone couldn't separate the ideas of their music files from their music player.

If you are at all computer savy I'm sure it's no issue and the program would work for you happily. For myself though I have no interest in it or its (seemingly) weekly 100MB updates.

[Heathen]

The problem I describe isn't to do with not being able to have a set file structure in iTunes, you can and that's totally up to you. My problem was more that the basic iTunes user (in this case my Brother in law) couldn't move away from the concept that his music was simply "in iTunes".

This happened a few years ago and I'm sure that Apple would be very happy with the thought that someone couldn't separate the ideas of their music files from their music player.

If you are at all computer savy I'm sure it's no issue and the program would work for you happily. For myself though I have no interest in it or its (seemingly) weekly 100MB updates.

I hear you but that's not Apple/iTunes specific. Most PC owners I know who aren't computer savy wouldn't be able to tell you where their files are even if they're using Windows Media Player instead of iTunes. Or their photos. Or the attached files they download from e-mails. And they seem to think that the internet is in google anyway (or whatever is their default page in Internet Explorer).

[bodysnatcher]

The problem I describe isn't to do with not being able to have a set file structure in iTunes, you can and that's totally up to you. My problem was more that the basic iTunes user (in this case my Brother in law) couldn't move away from the concept that his music was simply "in iTunes".

This happened a few years ago and I'm sure that Apple would be very happy with the thought that someone couldn't separate the ideas of their music files from their music player.

If you are at all computer savy I'm sure it's no issue and the program would work for you happily. For myself though I have no interest in it or its (seemingly) weekly 100MB updates.

This makes sense (as well as Heathen's above post). I think what adds to Varis's argument is that Apple has made iTunes a "media experience". You browse for and purchase music all in the same app where you listen. It's just instantly added to your library. And a lot of users probably have no idea that an actual music file exists on their computer. The song can instantly be added to your collection in the cloud. It's instantly on your iPad, OMG!! It's easy for people who don't care to think about it. But for the majority of us on RM (I'm guessing, since we're spending free time on a computer), that whole idea of being nonchalant about the files you own is just bothersome.

[Kaius]

User Error

[Norah]

Winamp: It really whips the llama's ass.

[bodysnatcher]

Is Winamp making a comeback after AOL stop supporting it last year?

[BurtReynolds]

I still use it.

[resonance of distance]

When I record comes out by a band I like I'll go purchase the CD and then later listen to it in the car. But I'm not in a hurry to buy any music now, too busy with work and listening to one of my other 1000's of cds.

[Self]

iTunes doesn't care where your music is. I keep mine in a central, anally sorted location. Librarians might be proud.




I don't use iTunes to play music, just to sync it to my phone. Otherwise, everything is right where I want it.

[Self]

Oh, and I buy CDs, rip 'em to 320, and then put them away.

And I prefer the iPhone/Pod for the native gapless playback. Gaps bother me.

[Jorge]

Oh I bet they do.