Topic: mp3 or shn/flac only

[mmmatt]

I am somewhat torn on this one, I like to think that the hard work I have done to keep the recording clean, should be passed on to everyone who gets the music.  But a small part of me wants to let as many people as possible hear the music.
     I think I know what the result of this poll will be, but I'm interested in the answers none the less.

Matt

[nickgregory]

I post to allow hosting of mp3s for the bands that need the publicity...cant hurt to help them.  Besides I am getting to be more of the mindset that if I care about what form my tapes are circulated (basically if i care what someone does with them) not to share them anymore....

[leegeddy]

I am somewhat torn on this one, I like to think that the hard work I have done to keep the recording clean, should be passed on to everyone who gets the music.  But a small part of me wants to let as many people as possible hear the music.
     I think I know what the result of this poll will be, but I'm interested in the answers none the less.

Matt

once it leaves your hands, there's nothing you can do.  the best thing to do, IMO, is to make your master shn or flac files for distribution.  if someone wants to convert your show into mp3, there's really no way of stopping them.

by distributing your shn/flac files, you've done your best to get the music out to the fans. with bt and ftp, your show can reach anyone on this planet in few hours!!

marc

[Depechemode1993]

I am going to go with FLAC or SHN just because no one likes Mp3 quality if you know why. plus you lose no quality in FLAC or shn.

[greenone]

once it leaves your hands, there's nothing you can do.  the best thing to do, IMO, is to make your master shn or flac files for distribution.  if someone wants to convert your show into mp3, there's really no way of stopping them.

I agree. I'll put the shn/flac out there, and if someone wants to convert to mp3, let them do the work; I'm not going to make it easy for them, but telling people they'll be strung up by their toenails and will burn in hell for eternity for converting to mp3 accomplishes nothing, really...

[Todd R]

I say distribute them in mp3.  The question isn't shn/flac or alternatively mp3.  On the archive shn/flac is definite, the question is whether to also allow mp3.  I have already downloaded several mp3s off the archive myself.  If I just want to get a feel for a band, mp3 will do the trick and it is alot quicker.  And if folks are doing all of their listening on an ipod or car stereo, the mp3s work fine for them and are what they want.  Why make it so difficult for these people to listen to live music and new bands just because we don't agree with their listening tastes/philoshophy?

If it was the old days of just a few years ago and these mp3s could "pollute the gene pool" then it made sense to limit their distribution.  But with the archive, etree listings, etc, their will be easily found md5s/fingerprints that will readily determine which are the true high quality shn/flac sources.  Not to mention it is already quite easy to get the high quality shn/flac sources.

People who care about quality can easily be sure they are getting it, and not unknowingly getting crappy mp3s.  To me, the main objective is to spread the music.  Also, there is the need/desire to archive the music.  But with the archive, etree, md5s, and fingerprints, that need  is being taken care of.  So why limit the spread of the music in whatever form works for people?

I'm all for high quality music reproduction and have a decent amount invested in playback, but I still use the oft-attacked mp3s.  To check out new bands quickly and easily, to easily bring along alot of music with me on trips (yep, I loaded up the hell out of my Nomad with mp3s before I went on a 2 week Alaska trip).  My wife uses an mp3 player when she works out.  I'm sure lots of folks even on this board use mp3s here and there--what do you think the rest of the world is doing?

Taping and spreading music shouldn't be about ego.  People who really appreciate quality will appreciate the quality of your recordings, but let the folks who don't care listen to the music anyway.

[mmmatt]

I tend to agree with Nick on this... at least that is what I have done in the past.  The local bands I record I don't care, as I know that they would want the quantity more than the quality.  As for conversion, I think that most people who know how to use a flac or shn file know of the quality differences and would leave it as is.  The exception may be the guy with the mp3 walkman, or car stereo and he just uses it for that.  But then he gives his beater mp3 cd away to guy guy who says "hey thats cool" and the next thing you know its being traded in a lesser form.  Ahhh... what can you do!

Matt

**edit**  excelent points todd... you must have been writing the same time I was.  I think yours is a minority view, but a very different way of looking at it.  You put up a great arguement.  The music doesn't ever degrade as long as the archive is alive... I wonder how many people will CHANGE their opinions after reading through this thread?

[Ed.]

i personally will only download lossless.  and i only spread lossless, however, when i upload to the archive for my friends band, i allow them to convert to mp3, ogg, and streaming.  the lossless is there as well for archival purposes and the streaming audio means i can listen to them at work without having to download them to my work puter.

as for my other stuff, i don't care if people mp3 it after they download it from me, just please don't share them.  what really upsets me is when i see my shows on ebay.

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I say distribute them in mp3.  The question isn't shn/flac or alternatively mp3.  On the archive shn/flac is definite, the question is whether to also allow mp3.  I have already downloaded several mp3s off the archive myself.  If I just want to get a feel for a band, mp3 will do the trick and it is alot quicker.  And if folks are doing all of their listening on an ipod or car stereo, the mp3s work fine for them and are what they want.  Why make it so difficult for these people to listen to live music and new bands just because we don't agree with their listening tastes/philoshophy?

If it was the old days of just a few years ago and these mp3s could "pollute the gene pool" then it made sense to limit their distribution.  But with the archive, etree listings, etc, their will be easily found md5s/fingerprints that will readily determine which are the true high quality shn/flac sources.  Not to mention it is already quite easy to get the high quality shn/flac sources.

People who care about quality can easily be sure they are getting it, and not unknowingly getting crappy mp3s.  To me, the main objective is to spread the music.  Also, there is the need/desire to archive the music.  But with the archive, etree, md5s, and fingerprints, that need  is being taken care of.  So why limit the spread of the music in whatever form works for people?

I'm all for high quality music reproduction and have a decent amount invested in playback, but I still use the oft-attacked mp3s.  To check out new bands quickly and easily, to easily bring along alot of music with me on trips (yep, I loaded up the hell out of my Nomad with mp3s before I went on a 2 week Alaska trip).  My wife uses an mp3 player when she works out.  I'm sure lots of folks even on this board use mp3s here and there--what do you think the rest of the world is doing?

Taping and spreading music shouldn't be about ego.  People who really appreciate quality will appreciate the quality of your recordings, but let the folks who don't care listen to the music anyway.

You speak the TRUTH!!!

+T

Terry

[pfife]

MP3 bothers me none.  I see the quality differences (those which I can hear) to be a sacrifice for the convenience...

I don't circulate my stuff in MP3, but a recent show I recorded was distro'd in MP3 over the usenet by a friend, and I didn't care too much... hope people listened to it loud!

[Nick Culbreth]

i've kinda changed my mind on this issue - i honestly don't care anymore.  i have my tapes in the original format but if somebody would rather have the mp3s they can go right ahead.