Thing 2: MP3s

This 'thing' was actually #70 on http://explorediscoverplay.blogspot.com/.

I have a confession to make. I am a child of the '60s, '70s, and '80s. You get the idea. I'm still in Vinyl World Denial and 8-Track-Say-It-Ain't-So! I still refer to CDs as albums. I miss cover art which can only be seen now in old vinyl stores and faded, wrinkly tattoos (not mine). So, believe it or not...are you sitting down??...I've never owned an MP3 player. Oh, I've heard music from them (think 'her kids' and you'd be right!). Even more unbelievable: my media center has some and I've NEVER USED THEM! egads! But hey!...allow me a few points for at least using Pandora on my computer and Nook!

All kidding aside, my Third grade teachers have come into my media center once in the year and a half since I've been at my school to check MP3 players out for their classes. They've kept them in their rooms and have always downloaded whatever it is they've wanted (free) for their students. So I've had no hands-on experience whatsoever. Which led me to choose MP3s off the list...

ExploreDiscoverPlay has a 2 lists. They offer sites with free music available for download, although they may not be the most current and popular ones and it may not be legal to download them to the internet. The first is a short listing of INEXPENSIVE MP3 download sites. Short list, meaning three: Napster (http://www.napster.com/), Rhapsody (http://www.rhapsody.com/), and Emusic (http://www.emusic.com/). It has been a while since the listings were updated, so I checked out each site. All three required either a credit card or Paypal. Napster wouldn't allow me to hear their music without a 'free 7 day trial'. The other two would and Rhapsody allowed up to 30 days' free trial.

Napster has plan options ($96/annual, incl. mobile or $50/annual, excl. mobile) that allows availability on every device you own and use. It includes new releases, billboard charts, ad-free radio, and more. Rhapsody is billed as a PC Editors' Choice for best iTunes library. I was able to play 2 songs as a preview for free before it wouldn't accept my curiosity and snooping any longer. The cost is $9.99/mo, allowing transfer to one MP3 device, or $14.99/mo for up to 3 devices. Emusic was not as exciting. Although I am Vinyl Girl, I just didn't like the fact that Emusic is older music. You locate music you want from 10,000,000 tracks, automatically syncing it with iTunes and Windows Media Player for $11.99/mo. Out of these three sites, I think I've fallen for Rhapsody. They weren't as selfish with my exploration and the music was up-to-date. It was also easy to use, which is important to Vinyl Girl's music/tech knowledge and use.

Next, I decided to visit the FREE sites since this Thing 2 activity requires a) going to a website, b) choosing a song to download, and c) transferring a song from a computer to an MP3 player, IF you have one. Since I don't have an MP3 player and I'm not experienced in downloading this format, I decided locating, downloading and listening from the computer would be the next best thing for now. The ExploreDiscoverPlay site has 32 FREE sites listed with a variety of choices, including options to buy. I decided to do my first exploration with PureVolume (http://www.purevolume.com/). This site also includes artists' music videos. I found a group called TVTV and downloaded their song, "Small Time (What You Want)". The steps were as follows: Click on 'free.MP3'>save>music library>create new folder (FREE MP3s)>save as type: MP3 Format Sound>Save. The music file transferred and I closed it. Then I went to my Documents>Libraries>Music, clicked on the file and it played for me. I found this to be extremely simple. I'm sure this will make everyone laugh because it IS so simple, but it's one area I'd avoided since I pre-judged and thought it to be more difficult than it was.

I can already see one way in which MP3 players can be used in my media center, thanks to my teachers. They have also loaded pre-paid stories onto their players for their students to use as a center. (By the way, all three of these teachers are younger than I am, and they are quite adapted already to most all areas of media since they've grown up knowing nothing else BUT a techie world.) I can see using this in my profession to make book reviews and book talks for children to listen to before checkout. 'Course, that means I'll need to use a recording other than an MP3 site. Something like Audacity.

What I learned during this discovery process is nothing new (ironically): old dogs CAN learn new tricks...and downloads MAY be just as nice as vinyls and CDs ;->.
 Now I wonder where to find the best MP3 player...and which one is best....
Research!! sigh....