buying digital mu$ic?

oh great...one more yes and I'm officially stupid    

Son of Nun wrote:

crucifyd wrote:do you think it is stupid to buy digital music?

Yes.

oldschooldoom wrote:

crucifyd wrote:

do you think it is stupid to buy digital music?

YES

If it's stupid to buy digital music, then it is stupid to buy any music.

Staybrite wrote:If it's stupid to buy digital music, then it is stupid to buy any music.

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

Anyone know if 7Digital is very artist friendly.....I found some good deals on there

The simple "yes" is obviously just being cheeky. Let me give a serious response.

I almost never buy digital files or stream music because it doesn't comport with what music as an artistic/entertainment experience means to me.

I've noticed that most of the answers in favor of digital music purchases are utilitarian e.g. "I can fit this many albums in my pocket." If that is meaningful to you and comports with what is an acceptable music experience to you then that is fine.

Personally, I've always felt that the physical medium is a part of the album as a complete unit. That's one reason I see vinyl as the ultimate music listening experience. It requires me to step away from the utilitarian of what I'm doing to focus on a complete audio/visual/tactile experience. The cover art is part of the vision of the artist, as are the lyrics. Having the album in a complete package on CD or vinyl is the fullest presentation of the overall album that allows one to take in the complete experience (examining the cover art, reading the lyrics, listening undistracted). Looking through a shelf of CDs or a crate of vinyl is like looking through a gallery of paintings.

Bare digital files are essentially bereft of most of this and strip down the experience to the most basic level. I too recognize the utilitarian benefits of digital files and the limitations that real life imposes on being able to sit down and take in a full musical experience. I do rip my CDs to mp3 and listen to those when traveling, in the gym, etc. However, it's a convenient adaptation for certain circumstances and not a replacement. I will always prefer owning the physical medium and using it as often as possible. Others may have different preferences, but what I described above is important to me.

Son of Nun wrote:The simple "yes" is obviously just being cheeky. Let me give a serious response.

I almost never buy digital files or stream music because it doesn't comport with what music as an artistic/entertainment experience means to me.

I've noticed that most of the answers in favor of digital music purchases are utilitarian e.g. "I can fit this many albums in my pocket." If that is meaningful to you and comports with what is an acceptable music experience to you then that is fine.

Personally, I've always felt that the physical medium is a part of the album as a complete unit. That's one reason I see vinyl as the ultimate music listening experience. It requires me to step away from the utilitarian of what I'm doing to focus on a complete audio/visual/tactile experience. The cover art is part of the vision of the artist, as are the lyrics. Having the album in a complete package on CD or vinyl is the fullest presentation of the overall album that allows one to take in the complete experience (examining the cover art, reading the lyrics, listening undistracted). Looking through a shelf of CDs or a crate of vinyl is like looking through a gallery of paintings.

Bare digital files are essentially bereft of most of this and strip down the experience to the most basic level. I too recognize the utilitarian benefits of digital files and the limitations that real life imposes on being able to sit down and take in a full musical experience. I do rip my CDs to mp3 and listen to those when traveling, in the gym, etc. However, it's a convenient adaptation for certain circumstances and not a replacement. I will always prefer owning the physical medium and using it as often as possible. Others may have different preferences, but what I described above is important to me.

That makes perfect sense to me, even if I don’t take the same approach myself.

Son of Nun wrote:The simple "yes" is obviously just being cheeky. Let me give a serious response.

I almost never buy digital files or stream music because it doesn't comport with what music as an artistic/entertainment experience means to me.

I've noticed that most of the answers in favor of digital music purchases are utilitarian e.g. "I can fit this many albums in my pocket." If that is meaningful to you and comports with what is an acceptable music experience to you then that is fine.

Personally, I've always felt that the physical medium is a part of the album as a complete unit. That's one reason I see vinyl as the ultimate music listening experience. It requires me to step away from the utilitarian of what I'm doing to focus on a complete audio/visual/tactile experience. The cover art is part of the vision of the artist, as are the lyrics. Having the album in a complete package on CD or vinyl is the fullest presentation of the overall album that allows one to take in the complete experience (examining the cover art, reading the lyrics, listening undistracted). Looking through a shelf of CDs or a crate of vinyl is like looking through a gallery of paintings.

Bare digital files are essentially bereft of most of this and strip down the experience to the most basic level. I too recognize the utilitarian benefits of digital files and the limitations that real life imposes on being able to sit down and take in a full musical experience. I do rip my CDs to mp3 and listen to those when traveling, in the gym, etc. However, it's a convenient adaptation for certain circumstances and not a replacement. I will always prefer owning the physical medium and using it as often as possible. Others may have different preferences, but what I described above is important to me.

Very well said.

crucifyd wrote:I find myself with a lot of digital music, mostly because of bandcamp.

you can't really resell it.
you don't really "have" it.
you can't even see it.

if your computer and all your backups blow up at the same time (not likely)
then *POOF* it's all gone...

do you think it is stupid to buy digital music?

"When Compact Disc was new tech, I was sticking to my guns, it was cassettes and that's all there was to it.  Eventually my will was bent, and I too, got sucked into the evil orbital powers of THE COMPACT DISC!  I wondered what all my fuss was about, these round discs are amazing; side one and side two are on one disc and you can even flick from song to song at the push of a button-not to mention- thy don't get eaten by the machine.

Now, since even mainstream albums mostly have to be ordered online, I find myself accepting fate once again.  Another evil orbit pulls me into its technologically gaping mouth! If I owned my own home with a decent space I would still buy and collect C.D.s and even special records like King's x first four albums etc.  And I would download as well, particularly for my car (no more messy discs, because they are sitting at home all nice and cozy.  So I guess ideally- I'd do both if I could