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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have an iPod or MP3 player to listen to downloads?
I've downloaded an MP3 but I can't hear anything. What could be the problem?
I am on a Mac, how do I download the MP3 files?
Do I need to have an iPod or MP3 player to listen to downloads?
No you don't. Anyone with a computer connected to the internet can download and listen to MP3 files. You will need a media player on your computer (many PCs come with Windows Media Player), and you'll also need speakers or headphones. The advantage of transferring the downloads onto a portable player is that you can then listen to them on the move.
I've downloaded an MP3 but I can't hear anything. What could be the problem?
There could be a number of problems, and we're unable to give fully comprehensive advice. You should check that you have a media player on your computer (e.g Windows Media Player or iTunes). You should also check that the sound is turned up on your machine, and that your speakers or headphones are connected.
I’m clicking on the download and it’s playing rather than downloading to my computer. Why is this happening?
The way that you experience MP3 downloads will depend on your setup – e.g. whether you are on a PC or Mac, and which operating system and browser you are using. In many cases left clicking on the download link or icon will play the file. Right clicking on the link or icon should display a list of options. One of these options is likely to be "Save Target As…" or "Save Link As…". If you select this option (or any similar option containing the word "Save") then you should be able to save the MP3 to your computer.
I am on a Mac, how do I download the MP3 files?
If you hold down the Control (ctrl) key on your keyboard whilst clicking on the MP3 link with your mouse a menu of options should appear. One of these options should be "Download Link to Disk" or "Download Linked File". If you select this option this should activate the download and should save it to your desktop.
What is MP3?
MP3 is a digital music format which allows CD tracks to be reduced to around a tenth of their normal size without a significant loss of quality.
This means that for the first time it's become practical to make music available for download over the internet as download times have been drastically cut.
MP3 strips out a lot of the information recorded in a song that our ears aren't able to hear and uses complicated maths to reduce the file size.