Mp3s ? The Future of Music?

Mp3 music is audio that has been digitally encoded and compressed to make the amount of data smaller without compromising the overall sound quality. It's a revolutionary technique with incredibly good results; mp3 music is frequently indistinguishable from music found on a CD (though some audiophiles with very sensitive ears dispute that statement).

The popularity of mp3 music made available on the Internet is a trend reaching gigantic proportions; these encoded songs are everywhere. Websites called mp3 blogs offer rare or hard-to-find mp3 music and avid fans sometimes spend hours at a time sifting through the piles of downloadable material. Newer recording artists that would often fall under the radar without the help of a well-known label are now able to convert their songs into mp3 music and make them available on the Internet, allowing huge numbers of people the chance to hear songs that they otherwise wouldn't have been exposed to. It's an extremely popular thing, mp3 music, one of those rare pop-culture phenomena embraced by nearly everyone.

But regardless of its massive popularity, mp3 music is surrounded with controversy. Many programs that allow users to transfer mp3 music directly from computer to computer offer the services for free, eliminating the possibility of royalties for the artist and label. Fearful of losing tons of money to fans downloading records instead of buying them, large factions of the music industry fought to make free mp3 music illegal -- and succeeded to a degree. The laws, however, have loopholes, and many websites or P2P programs have exploited them for all they're worth.

Additionally, laws regulating mp3 music in the United States aren't necessarily applicable to other countries, so new websites and programs (particularly, for some reason, in Russia) have popped up offering the free services railed against in America. Because of the hotly argued ethical issues surrounding mp3 music, many shy away from the topic (and practice) completely. Others embrace it, citing huge record costs as justification enough for free mp3 music. It's an argument not likely to end anytime soon; the ethical issues will be debated as long as free mp3 music is available somewhere.

In any case, MP3's are here to stay, and wise is the musician who learns about them and takes advantage of them.

(With Mollie Wells)

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His book-CD-DVD course titled "How To Play Chord Piano In Ten Days!" has sold over 100,000 copies around the world. He holds advanced degrees from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 57,400 current subscribers.

---

Why Play Guitar?

As a full-time guitar instructor, I am constantly faced with people in all walks of life who, for all different kinds of reasons, believe that playing the... Read More

Musicians: What Chords Do You Absolutely, Positively Have To Know?

As you probably know, there are thousands and thousands of different chords in music - everything from basic major chords to minor 7ths to 13ths to suspensions... Read More

How to Create an Original Melody

Here's a method I use that works. First, sit down at your piano or keyboard and just improvise. I suggest improvising first because music that is created... Read More

An Interview with Angus Young of ACDC - Why He Plays a Gibson SG

Steven: Maybe more than any other guitarist ever, you're inextricably linked to the Gibson SG? What was the evolution that brought you to this particular instrument?Angus: I... Read More

Learning to Play the Piano with Chords Part 2

Do you want to learn how to play chords on the piano? Can you already read sheet music or basic notes on the treble and or bass... Read More

Rickenbacker 4003 Electric Bass Guitar

The Rickenbacker 4003 electric bass guitar is one of the few electric basses to have earned the accolade "classic" as a title for itself. The Rickenbacker 4000... Read More

Review: Audioslave - Out of Exile

Every once in a while a band comes along that really changes the way you perceive music, for me one of these bands was Rage Against the... Read More

Prepare for the Master (CD Mastering)

Many artists are still confused as to what goes on during a mastering session. This article will try to shed some light on the last step before... Read More

Can You Really Learn To Play a Musical Instrument From an Online Course?

Out of the 250 million people in the United States, about 25 million of them play an instrument of some kind, or used to when they were... Read More

How to Create Interesting Textures

A lot of new age piano music consists of repeating patterns, or textures in the left hand while the right hand improvises a melody. This approach is... Read More

The Record Industry Continues Battle Against Free Music Downloads

Movie and record producers alike are saying file-sharing networks that permit its users the ability to make copies from other network member's computers are infringing on the... Read More

Internet Jams

Today's technology for the recording musician has been getting better and better with each passing month it seems. Software and computer interfaces are getting much less sophisticated... Read More

Guitar Tuning Tips

Most new guitar players and even some experienced ones have trouble staying and playing in tune. I'll try listing here some of the common mistakes and there... Read More

Taps; Piping Military Honors: A Ceremonial Guide for Highland Bagpipers

It has become increasingly popular for U.S. military veterans and their families to specifically request a piper to not only pipe for a funeral, but to pipe... Read More

Flaming Guitars! Minarik Fuels The Excitement Of A New Generation Of Musicians

Celebrating an endorsement between G-Man Music and the fiery axe-makers known as Minarik Guitars, Scott G (The G-Man) reviews the Minarik Inferno X-treme.From the Telecaster to the... Read More

How Any DJ Can Increase Their Gigs and Profits By This Simple Strategy

The DJ industry is very competitive. There are many DJ's who are making huge amounts of money and then there are other DJ's who are struggling to... Read More

How to Start Your Own Band

Every once in awhile a guitar student will express a desire to be in a band someday.If this is your ambition too, then read on. Whether you're... Read More

Is Your Child Capable of Composing Music? Maybe the Next Mozart?

We've all heard of them. Child prodigies who begin composing music at some ridiculously young age. For instance, history reports that Mozart was writing minuets by the... Read More

Music Mini Course: Learn The Basics Of Reading Music On A Keyboard Instrument

Welcome to the wonderful world of music. As you begin reading this Music Mini Course it is fun to realize that you are also participating in a... Read More

Piano Playing and Performance Anxiety

I'll never forget the first time I played the piano for an audience.It was my first concert and it was fairly full up. I was to play... Read More

How to be Creative at the Piano

So you want to be more creative when playing piano. Many students wish they could just sit down and improvise their own music but don't know how... Read More

Good News for the Musically Untalented

Have you ever been told that you were good at something but not good enough to make it a career or life ambition? Especially with music, if... Read More

Modal Theory for Guitar Players - Part 2

Playing the ModesWhen I used to use this pack with students, I provided them with a CD which contained a backing track for each of the modes.... Read More

Inspiration Wanted - Apply Within!

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for music students is knowing what to practice. In the early years students listened to their teachers and did what they... Read More

New Age Piano Playing and the Sustain Pedal

There are 3 pedals on most pianos. The one on the left dampens the strings and makes the sound come out softer. The one in the middle... Read More

Protocol for Piping a Formal Dinner: A Ceremonial Guide for Highland Bagpipers

It is believed that the custom of dining in began in the monasteries, was adopted by the early universities, and later spread to military units when the... Read More