Create a Digital Music Collection

By Jeanne Feldkamp

How many members of your family have caught digital music fever? Most families have at least one enthusiast. Chances are your kids are already big fans of their portable digital music players -- like the popular iPod -- which lets them take their tracks everywhere they go.

But digital music isn't just for kids -- it can be a family affair. For instance, when you convert the songs on your CDs to MP3s (the standard format for digital music), you don't have to lug around delicate CDs anymore. Plus, having a digital music collection makes it easier to organize your tunes by creating your own personal playlists, mixing and matching songs from your favorite albums. 

To join the digital music revolution, Eliot Van Buskirk, author of Burning Down the House: Ripping, Recording, Remixing, and More! and co-author of iPod and iTunes Quicksteps, has the following advice: 

1. Select a media player
In the digital music world, there are two kinds of players you need to have: a portable MP3 player, like an iPod or iRiver, and a media player -- a software program that resides on your computer.

Media players, such as iTunes or Windows Media Player, allow you to play music or videos on your computer. They let you convert songs from CDs into electronic files called MP3s, and create a digital music library. You can also use your media player to transfer songs from your computer to your portable MP3 player.

You can download one of the popular media players for free at the Apple Store, Microsoft or Real web sites, which all offer step-by-step installation instructions. But how do you know which media player to choose?

"You want to use a program that gives you the widest compatibility," Van Buskirk says. "If your family only owns just one type of MP3 player, your choice is simple: just install the media player that comes with your device."

But if members of your family want to use different MP3 players, then Van Buskirk says to make sure that the media player you choose works with each kind of MP3 player your family owns. He says to just check your MP3 player's user manual or web site to find out which media player to match with it.

2. Create MP3s
Once you've got your media player installed on your computer, you're ready to start turning the music on your CDs into MP3s.

The first step is to launch your media player. Next, put one of your music CDs into your computer's CD drive. Your media player will then walk you through the steps to import songs from a CD to your computer.

You may be given the option to create an MP3 or other digital music formats: choose MP3. It's the most universal digital music format, and MP3s don't take up as much space on your computer or portable players.

Converting CD tracks to MP3s usually only takes one or two clicks of the mouse. When you're done, your new MP3s will be stored in your media player's library, which is organized by song, artist or album title -- just like a jukebox.

3. Build your (legal) digital jukebox
Want to expand your library, or find MP3s if you've lost one of your favorite albums? You can try getting free promotional MP3s from record company web sites. Or even better, online music stores like iTunes and the MP3 Store let you buy digital versions of albums or single songs. Prices are generally around $1 per track.

Music subscription services like Napster, Rhapsody and eMusic are another option. For about $10 per month, these services may prove less expensive for families with a wide range of musical tastes.

"With a subscription service, you pay one fee and everyone can have their MP3 players filled up with an unlimited amount of music," Van Buskirk says. "The drawback is that these services require you to use their own media player on your computer, which can limit your choices for MP3 players." Before buying music from one of these services, he says to read their FAQ and make sure you'll be able to play the tracks on both your media and MP3 players.

As long as you and your kids use one of these fee-based digital music sites -- versus sites that let you freely but illegally trade tracks with other people -- you'll stay on the right side of the law. And you'll also shield your computer from the viruses that often lurk on illegal music-trading sites.

4. Protect your collection
Between your golden oldies and your kids' trendy tracks, over time your family may build up a digital music collection worth thousands of dollars. Keeping a copy of your music on both your computer and MP3 player can help protect your investment.

To put your digital music on a portable MP3 player, all you usually have to do is plug the player into your computer. Then your media player will automatically update your portable MP3 player with any new songs you've added recently.

But it's also smart to back up your digital music library regularly on CDs or external hard drives. Standard CDs hold about 15 songs on a disc, depending on the length of the songs. However, you can fit about 200 MP3s on the same CD because the files aren't as large. Typically, each media player has a prominent Burn button you can click to copy MP3s on to a CD. Or you can select Burn Playlist to Disc, for example, from the File menu of media players like iTunes.

To use an external hard drive, on the other hand, you simply attach the drive to your computer with the cable that comes with the device. Most external hard drives also come with easy-to-use backup software that lets you schedule automatic backups at regular intervals.

This way if something goes wrong with your computer, or, say, your daughter loses her MP3 player, your music collection is still safe -- and the music will play on.