Where are our mp3?

Have to admit I quite like the streaming MP3s.

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Cripes I've only been away two days and look what happens. I've read a couple of pages of this thread before writing this and my view still hasn't changed from previous threads. I think the mp3's are a great idea and led me to buying loads of CDs. Yes I have downloaded loads of them. But only to listen to them in my own time, get used to the bands style and if I like them I more often than not get the featured album plus a few more besides. If the music is not my style the mp3 is deleted. What's the point in clogging up one's hard drive with music that is not my style. I also delete the track once I have bought the album so that I can listen to it in full.

In fact I usually don't buy now unless I have heard the track a few times. For me, I have to be in a certain mood to match the music I am listening to. Streaming will inevitably lead to missing out on some albums because I wouldn't be in the right mood. Moody git I know, but aren't we all?

To those types who gloat over downloading as many tracks as they can - shame on you  You are obviously spoiling it for those of us who take this site seriously and appreciate what it brings. It's just not cricket. The word 'parasite' springs to mind

I have an interest in marketing and I always thought that this site was an excellent source of quality music. I have always advocated that record labels should do what most companies do and market their wares - often using free samples. Many times I have passed through the train station to be handed some promotional pack. I see no difference here provided we follow some basic rules.

I don't like the streaming system as it stops when you change pages. I personally like to listen to music whilst I am navigating this site or even computing generally. I have bought 200+ CDs since being a member of this site, with no signs of it slowing down - if anything it is increasing exponentially. However, if the record companies continue to take this line then they can kiss goodbye to my patronage. I usually operate on a give and take principle, this seems all take by the record companies to me.

Rant over, but I had to say it

By the way, should the the description text in the prog archives home page be quickly fixed? There still reads "Progressive Rock Ultimate Discography ... with MP3 and reviews"!  This text is seen at least when one uses MS Explorer...

Edit: Oh, ofcourse the streams are mp3's also. Too hasty post, sorry.

Ooh... another friendly suggestion: Track time elapsed/total.  I want to know how long until (1) the next track or (2) the next restroom break.

And another: a pause button (stop means I have to start the song over and I can't search to the middle).

Woo!

limeyrob wrote: I have an interest in marketing and I always thought that this site was an excellent source of quality music. I have always advocated that record labels should do what most companies do and market their wares - often using free samples. Many times I have passed through the train station to be handed some promotional pack. I see no difference here provided we follow some basic rules.

Yes, I think it's in the record companies' interests to give a few free samples. For example, the record company Inside Out could probably make a good profit if they went into collaboration with this site giving a few free samples of their albums. I'm sure that there is a lot of stuff on Inside Out that I'd like but I just never hear it.

I used to buy Metal Hammer magazine.  They would give a free CD each month with samples. I would usually buy one of the CDs from the sample. It's a shame that there is nothing like this for prog. I would love to see something like this and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Where do the record companies think we're going to hear this stuff? On Prog FM Radio?

MikeEnRegalia wrote: Of course you can also listen to a lot of prog internet radio stations: http://www.shoutcast.com/directory/?s=progressive

I'm hoping to do that in the future but at the moment with my Internet connection it's useless.

As so many MP3 sites had to disallow the downloading I was quite surprised to find Progarchives to have loads of MP 3's available. I also believed that Progarchives had their "rears" covered to the fact that they had cleared all MP3's with the corresponding artists or record companies.

The fact that we can listen, and even better with Prog-rock which often needs a few plays... to download it is a pity the whole site has lost ALL Mp3's.

Downloadable MP 3 can be a make or break situation for many new bands, and can bring attention to older bands re-issues. Especially in Prog-rock it is essential that one can listen to the songs or albums in its entirity. It is up to the artist to evaluate the benefits of this, they should be able to overwrite the record companies decision...it is the same as if a band has the songs to download on their personal webpage.

It is Progarchives duty to make sure that the mp3's are legal...tis can be a huge job that may be far bigger than web owners or or webmasters can handle. We often forget that many websites are just a single person effort.

I have to admit I downloaded my share, and have discovered dozens more bands that I would not have had a chance to listen to. The fact that we still can listen to some of the songs by stream is an Okay alternative, but indeed you have to be on the PC, on the site to listen to it, and THAT is what makes the download better. I listened to the music I downloaded while driving in the car, working or elsewhere away from the computer...that is what makes it more versatile.

I appreciate the downloads I have, but the wel being of Prog archives is far greater and more worth while. I hope that a "improved" version can return some artist to "downloadable level" It is a good promotion for many foreign bands, or those starting up, PROG is unique and cannot fall under the normal regulatory rules of record companies.

ShW1 wrote: dear m@x Where are the MP3 of THINKING PLAGUE ? I've just now posted a review of THINKING PLAGUE - HISTORY OF MADNESS. I gave it 5 stars. I worked very hard on the review. I've recommend to listen to Rapture of the deep - and now see that its gone! vanished! the band record at lausy Cueniform records that complaind. How the f**k they think i could reach this band? to reach this album? this album IS NOT THE PREFARED TP ALBUM by the members of this site - how could i reach it if i wouldnt LISTEN to it? m@x, you said that there will be streaming instead of downloading - you didnt say that some tracks will be VANISHED!

There's no reason to get all agressive! Max can't help this. The Cuneiform label contacted ProgArchives and demanded that all mp3s from their artists (including Thinking Plague) had to be removed.

The Mister wrote: Eetu Pellonpää wrote: So you can't stream music to your computer, unless you have a broadband? How does that feature work? It's not a "feature".  Simply put, you CAN stream music without broadband, but it takes forever, and you can only listen to bits and pieces of the song in 20-second segments with long pauses between, since the bits and bytes can only be sent to the listener at the rate that the dialup connection is physically able to provide.  If it takes 15 minutes to download a 5 minute track, you will be listening to ~20 seconds of song followed by ~40 seconds of silence followed by the next ~20 seconds of song, etc., for 15 minutes.

The solution is to stoplistening to the stream. It will continue to download to your computer, when it is about halfway through press play et voila! That should give you uninterupted play!