Making Money Online With Music - The Other Side of the Story

By Spiro Poulis

From simple web articles to eBooks with hundreds to thousands of pages, many people are increasingly finding it easy to start their own business online and have given rise to "infoprenuers".

One of the easiest ways to make money online that is becoming increasingly popular these days is to get royalty free music with resell rights. This way, the infoprenuer is not only able to make use of the tracks either for their site or for advertisement purposes, they are also able to make money from the various royalty free music with resell rights. But what really is royalty free music with resell rights?

How do you make money from it? As most of you might be aware of, securing rights to use commercial music can be quite time-consuming and heavy on the pocket. Royalty free music makes it easier for majority of companies and individuals to make use of sound clips or music tracks without dealing with copyright infringement. Its affordability makes it doubly popular with those who are on a tight budget.

Now, since royalty free music is more accessible and easier on the pocket, some companies have come up with a collection of this music. The tracks that can be found in these libraries usually are from up-and-coming artists and composers which lends to the superior quality of the music.

Some of these companies allow only a certain number of downloads of tracks to ensure that their products are not saturated too much while others regularly update their libraries to ensure fresh content.  These libraries are then resold to various infopreneurs.

These infopreneurs can be individuals wanting to make some money or they could be small time companies who are riding on the popularity of reselling and would like to include music to their product line. The infopreneurs can make money from these royalty free music by allowing people to download single tracks for a fee or by repackaging the sound tracks and letting people resell their packages.

Usually, master resellers only need these infopreneurs to indicate in their site where the music came from and who the composer is. People who engage in music with resell rights do not even need to pay for their own web site. They could resell their tracks from various social networking sites as well as from their own blog.

Some even make use of subdomains that could support secured download as well as instant download as soon as payment has been verified.

If you are someone on the lookout for a business that would need only a small investment, then royalty free music could just be the right product for you. Be an infopreneur and start earning your own money. Find out more atProPlayMusic.com

African American Music; The History Of

By Yaya Diallo

When I saw this title, I was afraid and I’m still afraid regarding my opinion about the subject. The subject is complex and difficult so I cannot resolve it overnight. I am an African. I do things the African way. I cannot write about African American music like a Western scholar. In my culture we live the past and the future in the present. When I listen to some African American music I can feel the past, the present and the future all at the same time. Now, the best way for me to handle this subject is to work by questions and answers.

[Question] Yaya! Who do you think you are?

Yaya Diallo - I don't think! I am Farafin, which means I am a dark skin man. The word Africa is the Arabic name for our continent. In Bambara we call the so-called "Africa" Farafina. Farafina means the land of dark skin people. I am from Farafina and I am proud of it. I don't want to be somebody else. People in general say African American. I would say American Farafin, which means dark skin human being who lives in America.

[Question] What is your African background?

Yaya Diallo - I come from far away. I was born in 1946 in Fienso (French Sudan), now Mali. My parents were nomadic. When I was very young I used to travel a lot. I grew up in the bush far from any western civilization. The music that I heard was very traditional and played live. I did not have a radio or TV. I had the opportunity to listen to the music of the different ethnic groups from the Ivory Coast, Burkina and Ghana. In some villages I heard Muslim songs coming from the mosques. By night, I would enjoy the frog symphonic orchestras. From 1946 to 1960 I was living in complete nature. My musical training is a long story but you can learn more from my book The Healing Drum.

[Question] What are your feelings about the civilized world?

Yaya Diallo - In the city I had strange feelings. I saw people listen to music through what I thought was two kinds of boxes. The first was a radio. You could change the singer with the tuning button, I thought. The second needed records. It read 78, 45 and 33 1/2. You had to adjust everything with something but I did not have a clue as to what. Even still, the only music that I heard was the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Johnny Holliday.

[Question] What do you think about the word African American?

Yaya Diallo - Dark skin people living in America are not different from people I met in Africa (Farafina). To me they are just different ethnic groups like the Yoruba, the Bantou, the Zoulou or the Touareg. Africa is not one culture. We have thousands and thousands of languages and different music. My wife is an African American from Louisville, KY. Her mother is from Dark Corner, MS and her father from Jackson, TN. Like my wife and family there was one African American man, James Brown, who saved my life with his music.

[Question] How can an African American man save the life of a traditional African?

Yaya Diallo - In 1967 I left my country to go to Montreal, Canada. On my way, in Paris, I saw a big picture of James Brown in the Olympia Theater. In my mind I thought, "Oh! A black man in Olympia in Paris, France." In Montreal I was looking for a place to dance or listen to the music that I loved. One day I found a radio station that played black music. I heard James Brown and felt at home.

[Question] What do you think about African American music?

Yaya Diallo - I always say that I don't think, I feel. When we talk about African American music we talk about Spirituals, Blues, Funk, Jazz, Gospel, Rap, dance music, etc. I want to talk on each one by one.

When people in Canada were dancing the twist, jerk and go-go, in my country a French man named Johnny Holliday was playing bad versions of Wilson Pickett and Ray Charles’ music in French. In America I found out this French man was a robber. He stole the music, sang it in French and looked like a genius for us Africans.

[Question] What did you feel when you started to dance?

Yaya Diallo - I used to go out to dance to Wilson Pickett, James Brown, and Sly and the Family Stone’s music. For me they were Africans. They had good beats, good feelings and most important, African Soul. I did not feel that from Chinese or European music. In the 70s I discovered the Funk music, The O'Jays, Parliament, Ohio Players, Kool and the Gang and JR Walker and the All Stars. I felt I was at home when I knew the Motown Family (Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations and Stevie Wonder). I could survive because I had those kinds of musicians.

[Question] In terms of music, what is the link between African and African Americans?

Yaya Diallo - African Americans are Africans from the village and sadly they just don't know it! When you listen to the music you can find out. Kool and The Gang played Funky Stuff. When you listen to the drum part you will get the Dounouba part of the dance Sounou. Sounou was played in the 15th century and today is the dance young people love. In Africa we learn the past in the present and teach it to the next generation. The African Americans sometimes do not know how African they are.

[Question] Why can you say that they are African?

Yaya Diallo - The first time I heard the Four Tops I thought I was listening to the Bambara Farmers in the evening after a hard working day. The Temptations reminded me of the men Fire dancers and singers. I can listen to Temptations but I am afraid to see them. I am not initiated to the Fire dance and the music brings out memories about the secret ceremonies that happened afar in the village. Aretha Franklin is for me a great Djeli-mousso coming from the Empire of Mali in the 13th century. When I listen to African American music I don't worry about the meaning, only what I feel.

[Question] What do you think about Jazz?

Yaya Diallo - Really, to tell the truth, I don't feel jazz. Many people coming from Africa feel the same way. I learned about jazz in 1980 when I recorded my first album, Nangape, on Onzou Records. That opened the door for me with jazz. Jazz magazines like Cadence and Down Beat wrote articles on me like I was a "jazz man." I was invited to do workshops at the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY. I met jazz big names like Art Blakey. He said, "Yaya is the only African that I can jazz, that I can play with and be comfortable." I completed a trio with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell in the Symphony Space in New York.

[Question] What about Gospel?

Yaya Diallo - To me gospel means religion or church but my father-in-law changed my mind. When going to church with him I saw a big band and a big choir. People were singing and I forgot that I was in church. I was surprised; I saw ladies in a trance like in my village but they called it shouting. This reminded me of the Mania Secret Society where only woman go into a trance when praising god (See The Healing Drum).

[Question] What is rap?

Yaya Diallo - I love rap! I use to lie about buying rap and say that it was for my children. Rap is the old tradition of the Fulani people in Mali. It tells life stories through poetry that is recited quickly. Nomadic people have to explain their daily journey through this same quick form, but without the foul language. Today, the young people think that they have reinvented the wheel.

[Question] Yaya, what is wrong with African American music today?

Yaya Diallo - Today everything is easy. Instead of buying a drum set you buy a drum machine. Computers do everything. You can get almost every sound by pressing a button. This is the type of world that we live in today. The young Africans love it like we used to love James Brown. Time is the only thing that has changed!

[Question] How did African American music change American Society?

Yaya Diallo - We changed everything! We changed the style of dance; we created new sounds, new styles, and new way to dress ... EVERYTHING! Country music is the white version of the Blues. Rock-n-roll comes from our music. People forget that Jimmie Hendricks was a Blues player that just changed his sound and look. Without James Brown, Sly and Family Stone and the Motown Family there would be no Madonna, no Celiene Dion, no techno, and no disco. African Americans brought this to the world. It is sad because people do not recognize it. We changed the world and it will never be the same again.

[Question] How do people know you in America?

Yaya Diallo - I am the author of two books, The Healing Drum and At the Threshold of the African Soul. I have four CDs, Nanagape, The Healing Drum, Dombaa Folee, and Dounoukan. I thank Onzou Records, the first company that trusted me to make my first album in 1980. That was not easy!

"The History of African American Music" by Malian musician/author Yaya Diallo was written to celebrate Black History Month. The article is translated into English by LaKesha Churn and edited for English grammar and clarification by Stephen Conroy, Producer/Publisher of the independent label to first produce Yaya Diallo in 1980 on Onzou records, http://www.onzou.com

LIFE OF MUSIC

by MAY S. SMITH

Music has been a part of our lives and is embedded within our soul. For centuries, it has become the outlet of human heart and the expression of one's feelings. Most of us experienced music since birth as our mothers would sing us lullabies to put us to sleep. Our mother's voice would always be a pleasant music to our ears.

Music evolved from time to time. Classic music has to give way to the new era of music. A new genre is created which each of them would define the current generation. Not only that the kind of music changes or evolved, the gadgets also evolve as the world become more advanced in terms of technology. In the past we only have radios. But now we have CD playes, MP3, iPod, etc. and this would change the way we connect with music.

Humans spend tons of time and energy, and, yes, a lot of money on musical endeavors. Researches have been conducted to understand the reasons behind the need of humans for music. But to the common person it is the thing that inspires us to reach the stars or lifts us up when we're down, the solace when we're heartbroken or in grief, the outburst when we are angry or the festive beat of the drums when we are jubilant. And of course, what would love be without a love song behind every couple. Indeed, millions of love songs have been made for everyone.

The excitement of listening to a new song and of musicians wanting to create a mark in the history of music will always keep the music industry up and beating. People will readily spend their money for a good musical treat, be it going to a concert, buying the newest CD on the shelf or simply downloading it over the internet to the ever handy mp3 player. It is a beautiful fact that music is deeply ingrained in our culture which profoundly affects our values and quality of life. And so the music goes on.

May Smith is an SEO professional. She manages websites about orange county piano lessons, and san diego guitar lessons. Visit these websites to learn more about these topics.

Using Music on a Website and Your Taste

By Geoff White 

I have always taken the simple approach to using music on a website. That is, if there's a radio application wherein I can put music samples, I will. I don't have any real knowledge beyond that for putting music into sites. I know that for a time, while I was writing MySpace blogs regularly, music became an integral part of the writing process and most of the time one (or more) songs would end up in my blog just to set a mood for the piece of writing I showcased there.

The beauty of using music on a website is that it anchors your audience to an ambiance that you, the web master, set as tone for the surfer. The detriment? It tells these web surfers how they should feel when going into a site, which runs the risk of turning them off and reducing your web traffic.

Web traffic is, of course, the key to building a website. For some web sites music simply distracts the prospective surer from the information or products you choose to put onto the site. For others (possibly like this one,) music is the engine that drives it. When I'm writing, I like to ad music as it reflects my mood while writing it. I don't know whetyher there has been a direct corollary with the kind of music I've used with the amount of traffic I've gathered on any of my sites. If I were a statistician, I could help you: I'm not.

As to the aesthetics, I'd say your use of music on your site is ultimately up to you. There are a slew of reliable resources that give advice on the ways and amounts of music one can use on a site, along with relevant copyright laws. We suggest that you search for those uses and enjoy the music as you hear it.

For more help with using music on websitescheck out this guide to royalty free music.

5 Ways to Learn to Play Guitar

By Darren MacFadyen

There's a song that says it's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll. Well, you could add that it's an even longer way if you are still trying to decide which method will be best to learn the instrument that is going to take you to the top. With that in mind, here are five methods of learning that may get you pickin' and grinnin' or shredding and headbanging in no time!

Private Lessons - This would be the ideal way to learn to play the guitar, assuming that you can find the right teacher. There really is no substitute for the one on one attention you would receive during a private lesson. The instructor can custom design your lessons for you based on what you want to learn and can modify those lessons on a week to week basis based on your progress. The greatest advantage of the private lessons is having your teachers' undivided attention. The ability to get instant clarification on something you may feel is unclear is the greatest advantage of a private lesson. The cost of the lessons can make this learning method tough for some with an average half hour lesson costing anywhere from $15 - $30.

CD Lessons - The beauty of instructional CDs is in their availability and the fact that they come in nearly any style you can think of. The advantage of this style of learning is that it's a one time cost and then you can listen to the CD as often as you want at any time you want. Part of the instructional disc that are not clear can be replayed as many times as necessary. The disadvantages might be in how limited the discs can be. The songs being taught on the disc may not be the ones you want to learn and the instruction is more general without any way of knowing what your degree of knowledge or proficiency is with the guitar.

DVD Lessons - We could pretty much say "see above" for this, because an instructional DVD includes all the good and bad points of the CD instruction. Where a DVD holds a distinct advantage over the CD though is that you cansee what the instructor is doing. Visual learning goes a long way toward answering the questions burning in your mind.

Music Books - Music books are a time-honored way to learn how to play guitar. You can find more books on more different styles than most any other way to learn. Higher end books may require you to be proficient in reading music if you do not know the song you are learning. Simpler books will include tablature that is easy to figure out for even novice players, but they are just that, simpler books designed for easy guitar playing. These books may not be technically accurate so you may not be able to recreate a note perfect version of the songs, instead learning the basic structure and arrangement of the songs. One drawback for learning from books is understanding the nuances and dynamics of the songs within. If you aren't overly familiar with the songs, recreating the feel of the songs may be difficult.

Internet - The Internet is a wonderful resource for learning to play guitar. There are many websites that will show you how to play the exact notes your favorite guitarist plays. Finding those sites may be a bit of a challenge. Anyone who has attempted to learn off the internet will agree that there is a lot of misinformation available so finding accurate transcriptions can prove to be difficult. Once you do though you really get the best of all worlds. Instantly accessible information that you can see, hear and read as well.

Whichever method of learning that you decide on is up to you, but getting started is the key. Once you learn to play guitar you will be in for a lifetime of enjoyment playing music.

I am proud to call myself an "ex"beginner guitarist. I've got a pocket full of chords and a head full of ideas. Now I need some earplugs and the amp turned up to 11! Get jammin' with me, this site totally helped me out: http://www.squidoo.com/easybeginnerguitarlessons

Piano Lessons - Beginners For Adults With Easy and Modern Piano Instruction Systems and E-Books

By Mike Shaw 

For many people, being able to play the piano is a dream come true because not only does playing on the piano in a social gathering look elegant, it is a difficult art to master and is regarded as a great accomplishment, especially for the fairer sex. In fact, in the 18th and 19th centuries, young ladies were forced to learn the piano to impress prospective bridegrooms and their families.

However in case of formal piano instruction, where a student has to rely on piano instruction books, the introduction to various types of confusing finger exercises, drills, limitless scales, notations through dry endless boring instructions can turn out to be killjoy and spoilsport. The reason why traditional books on piano instructions have lost their charm is because they concentrate only on finger exercises of a technical variety that can make your fingers dance to the tune of your mind's instructions and how to read music from score that is printed.

All these are true even in case of piano lessons beginners. It is because of these mindless hard exercises that many people lose their enthusiasm for learning piano very soon and give up learning altogether. These are the greatest limitations of conventional piano instruction books. That is why it is necessary for adult piano lessons beginners' courses to be simple, easy, fun and enjoyable and the exercises should include popular music pieces and interactive quizzes as well.

A piano lessons beginner's course should also concentrate on play from chord symbols and play by ear and other such similar techniques. This is where online piano lessons aimed at beginners score over their traditional counterparts. 
The components described above are all included in online piano lessons' beginners courses while the structured patterns of conventional piano instruction have been retained, thus making online piano lessons a blend of the best of both worlds.

On top of this, many websites offer their piano lessons beginners' courses at a very reasonable cost to promote their site.

About The Author Mike has worked for many years as a professional keyboard player and in between gigs has taught hundreds of students to play the piano, organ and keyboard. To find out more about modern piano instruction for Piano Lessons Beginners including adults and children click the above link to read my reviews of the top courses available. If you need a piano or keyboard to learn on, check out our selection of new and usedPianos, Keyboards And Organs.

Finding it Hard to Make Music

By Jefferson Baileyy

Do you want to learn how to produce, construct and master your own music? Do you want to be able to create releasable music from home or even make a business out of mastering other peoples music? Well it can be done and you can learn everything from home and it only takes a matter of weeks. Anybody girl or guy can learn how to produce music however you need to learn how to produce music from a professional or you will get lost confused and even produce poor quality music.

The best recommended way to learn how to produce music is to learn from some body, you may live in an area that has no producers but only there are some of the best industry standard professionals that can teach you everything you need to know and beyond that. They will teach you all the tricks of the charts to create music the listeners wants to her, all of the methods and ways the radio stations will like your music. Music Production is something that has to be mastered and learning from a professional is a highly recommended way to go about it, if you want to learn a new job you will want to get trained right? It's the same for music production.

Learning to produce Hip-hop, R&B and even Pop is something that has high competition and you will need to be better than the rest. You will need to know as much more information about the industry than the others because knowledge is power and you need knowledge to survive in the music industry. You also need that talent that you need to learn and you will succeed.

Learn How To Produce Music From A Professional More For Information Visit http://www.musicproducerpro.net Good Luck J Bailey Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jefferson_Baileyy

Watch Movies Online With Movies Planet - The Answer to All Your Prayers

If you are a movie lover, this site is the answer to all your prayers. You can watch movies online, download movies, watch videos and get the latest news on TV shows and download movies on this site. You can send and receive e mails and comments and see previews of the latest movies on this site. This site has also made it easier for you to download movies and watch videos with full privacy of your home. 

Online trading of movies has also been on the rise and this site just adds to the existing facilities on offer. You do not have to visit your neighborhood video store for the latest movies any more. Just browse through the online movies on offer, download them and burn them on to a DVD or cd at home! 

With the wide varieties of free videos on offer, you can have a fun time right at home. The facilities at this site are easy to understand and very interactive. You can browse through the various categories of online movies on offer, so that you don’t miss out on your favorite film. You can even go through the most popular movies on this site, because the visitors to this site are provided with an opportunity to rate the movies they see. 

You can get the latest on your favorite TV and movie stars, right on this site. This is great entertainment when you have some spare time and want to catch up with the latest on movies and TV shows. You can watch movies online, download movies and also watch videos of your favorite shows at a click. You can get the latest new on film actors, movie stars and directors, right here. Want some more fun? Check out the hit movies at the box office and make a note of them. 

The best thing about this site is the unquestionable level of picture quality you get. Now you can download movies and not worry about getting a doubtful quality! The picture and sound is one of the best on offer and you need not worry about marring your experience of these free videos with a lack of quality. 
by movie planet
You can watch free movies that have DVD class pictures only on moviesplanet.com. The site is user friendly and you can just go to the areas of your interest and bypass fields which are of no interest for you. 

Not only do you get online movies that can be downloaded, you can even get movies on demand. The only thing you have to do is to send a request to the site and it is yours, isn’t that amazing? 

There are also other attractive options you might want to take a look at. You can add application links, reviews, your personal collections and your polls on your favorites. The best news is that this site is absolutely safe. You don’t need to watch out for violation of your privacy as we don’t share your information with anyone. So, go ahead and have fun- movies and TV shows now have a new address- moviesplanet.com! 

Creative Zen Software - Download Your Favorite Zen Movies, Music, And Software

by steve somerton

If you have been surfing around trying to find the information to download creative zen software, then you are not alone. A lot of people are in the same situation as you are. You can download software for your creative zen for a price, or you can download it for free. Then there is a third option. You can download all of the software you want. The music, the movies and videos, but with care. Everything is not as it may seem.

Downloading all the free stuff from a free download site does have some strings attached to it. Many of the free sites have pop-ups and spyware looking for you. You will leave yourself wide open when you visit these free sites that offer software. When your computer becomes infected with spyware or adware, you have no choice but to shut down your operation and finding someone to fix your computer.

Once your identity has been hacked, this opens up a whole world of problems that offsets any advantages to getting your free creative zen software. Now you have to be more concerned about real disaster. Any financial information you have is now at risk of being exploited.

Because of the risks involved with visiting these "so called" free download sites, this is not really an option anyone should take. The possible disadvantages far out weigh any advantages you may have considered. These free sites should never be an option. Take this off your list.

Paying for your downloads is a better option to consider when going after a few of your favorite songs you have been trying to find. At least you will get them without having to worry about being hacked and disgraced. Because there are not very many pay per sites available that cater to zen software, your choices are limited. Also, if you want to really load up, the price will be steep without question.

The last option is by far the best route to getting all of the software for your creative zen you ever thought possible.

Join a software download site. The cost is going to be your one time membership fee. After this is paid, you are a full member and can download as much as your heart desires for free. Yes, that is right - free. You do not need a calculator to add up your savings by going this option. Unlimited downloads for a one time membership fee suddenly looks very attractive now.

Over five million active users that belong to these memberships sites cannot be wrong. Isn't it time you began to think about your options?

For a list of the top downloads sites check out: http://www.CreativeZenDownloads.com Another highly recommended site to check out is http://www.Zen-Xpress.com Steve Somerton writes informative articles on various subjects including Creative Zen Software - Download Your Favorite Zen Movies, Music, And Software. You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.

Download Movies Music Games And Shows

by Luis Aguirre

Downloading. This has become the tool of choice for people who want their favorite shows, movies, music and even games...fast. The time when companies like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video ruled the movie and game section is now coming to an end. Online video game and movie companies are now taking things to the next level, people don't want to get in their car and drive to the store and rent a movie or game and then return it when you are done with it. No, you want to sit at home and watch the movie right away, and the only thing you should be getting up for is the popcorn.

Downloading a movie is much better than renting one. Getting your favorite music or game has always come natural to the younger generation of our time, problem is you gotta know where to look. Most will search on Google for their favorite game or movie, when all you need to do is become a member of a website that provides this kind of service for a small monthly or yearly charge. Imagine just having to search for your favorite movie and then clicking a button and in minutes if not sooner, you have what you want at your fingertips. The information era is making everything easier, movies are clearer, games look and perform better, music is crisper.

Having one of the most well put-together databases on the web takes some serious work. Searching for movies shouldn't have to be like pulling teeth from a T-Rex. Mp3 downloads have gotten a bad reputation in the past 10 years, from illegally downloading them from networks like Morpheus or Kazaa to Napster (which is now legitimate). Companies like Apple have gotten into the mainstream of things and started to offer good, solid alternatives to downloading music illegally.

Games are another phenomenon that is taking the country by storm. Online gaming and console gaming is getting bigger and bigger, with consoles like the PlayStation 3, X-Box and Wii there is no end in sight. Games are getting faster, look better, and they clearly outperform their older counterparts a million times over.

TV Shows are another thing people want to own, but they are getting expensive to purchase in bulk. If you want a whole season of a show then you better be able to pony up the cash for it. They can cost as much as $100 for a single season, and if you love a show and it keeps going for 10-11-12 seasons then it can get pricy real fast. Most of the time, you wont need to buy whole seasons, just the episodes you want to watch.

All of this and more can be obtained if you just know where to look, companies that offer that kind of downloading capability don't have crappy video or audio quality, most of it is either higher than TV or PC quality..leading into Hi-Def or higher.

Tips To Find A Legal Music Download Site

by Thomas Martin

Below I will talk about my top 10 tips to help you find a legal music download site. Hopefully they will help you divert away from illegal download sites.

1. Pay for use

This is one of the most effective ways to identify whether a site is legal or not. Look for download sites that charge you per song, or per month or per year.

If you see a site offering free music downloads for a certain trial period, then this doesnt necessarily mean that the site is legal. Many legal sites use this as an enticement, so do not be put off by that.

2. Size Limits

A legal music download site generally distributes music from reputable labels and artists. This means that you will not find a wide range of mixes and custom files that will almost certainly slow down your connection, and therefore take forever to download. Moreover, if these files are small it assures the music retail industry that the music site is actually selling real legal music, and not the massive files associated with computer games and movies etc

3. Volume limits

Legal music download sites usually distribute their material on a per song basis. One of the major advantages of buying your music online is that you dont have to spend $17 for an entire album if you only want 3 or 4 songs. Legal music sites will actually setup download limits as well as transfer rate limits. As a result, this prevents dishonest customers from setting up their computers to copy hundreds of files in a few hours.

4. Larger databases, Larger costs

The larger the databases that the legal download sites have, the more it will actually cost you. This can actually lead to paying a bit more than a normal CD in the shop IF the store has literally hundreds and hundreds of thousands of songs because they could cost between $1 - $3. Therefore, dont go for the exceptionally large databases. The reason why these sites are more expensive than the illegal music sites is because they are obliged to give a portion of their fees back to the recording industry.

5. Limited Choice

Most of the legal music download sites dont have the capacity or copyright authority to distribute hundreds of millions of songs. The songs are stored on servers with a finite amount of space unlike the tangled web of computer to computer file transfers from the illegal sites.

The other reason for the limited choice is that it is highly unlikely that they will get an agreement from every single record label to distribute their music online.

The quality of every online music catalog depends on the Music Studios that are providing the material. Established, and therefore popular artists usually switch labels at least once during their singing career. So you might have access to their newer materials, but not the older songs, or vice versa.

6. No Adware or Spyware

Legal music download sites like their offline retail counterparts are getting an actual fee for their service. They dont want to scam or upset their customers by placing dangerous and annoying spyware and adware programs on their computers.

7. Music Only

The fact is that a legal music download site will only have music on it to download. This means that you wont be able to download computer games, movies or anything else like this.

8. Copyright Notice

A clearly written copyright notice should be provided on the site stating:

a) The nature of the site owners authorization to distribute legal music files online

b) What you can do with the files once you have paid for them

c) Any limitations on either party as far as use and distribution of the files.

9. No file sharing allowed

You are only allowed to use the files for personal use. Unlike a CD (physical product) you cannot purchase songs, use them and then sell them to another party or distribute them free of charge to friends, family, web surfers etc.

10. Backed by a big label?

Most of the legal music download sites are backed by at least one major music label. People are looking for songs that are popular, on the radio, playing in the clubs or on MTV. All of that commercial material comes out of the studio system. If the label does not provide the material, subject to fees, taxes and copyright notices, then the site cannot legally distribute them.