Do you still think that music is only listened to on the radio? Are you attached to old-school technology? Has the younger generation of your family suggested that you learn how to download music? No matter the reason, you can learn how to access all of your favorite music online. Here’s how:

An inexpensive way to download music is to follow feeds from popular music download sites. Sites such as Amazon or iTunes have free music downloads available on a daily basis. Just search for “free music” and a list of free songs and albums will be listed for you to download.

It is important to be aware of the songs you already own when doing music downloads. If you don’t, you can easily lose a lot of money by not realizing you may have an entire album already. You can just find a history of your purchases on your download services.

Choose your P2P service wisely. This can be your key to getting the music you want. Read up on reviews and talk to people you know to find the best service to suit you. Look for testimonials by other users to make sure that you won’t regret using any particular service.

When you are looking for websites for music downloads, be sure that you are downloading from a reputable distributor. There have been instances when users have downloaded malware along with the song tracks. This will not happen at established digital music distributors with a good reputation. Keep this mind before you click on the download button.

If you purchase your music through iTunes, pay the extra cash for iTunes Match ($25 per year). This music service gives you access to your entire library on the web – not just the songs you’ve recently purchased. iTunes Match looks at all of your songs and matches them with a cloud version. It’s an excellent way to increase your cloud-based music library.

If you’re downloading music from a little known source, make sure you have recently updated antivirus software running during the download. Anytime you aren’t sure of where the file is coming from, it’s a must to protect your computer. These files could be laced with malware and spyware. You’ll need top antivirus protection to secure your computer.

If you are downloading music from a site where the songs are free, you run the risk of getting a virus on your computer. Before downloading, check the size of the file. Although these file can be small, most range from 2MB-5MB. If the file is less than 250KB, steer clear since it is probably a text file. Most viruses are transmitted through maliciously coded text files.

When you download a song online, check its size. If it is less than 2 megabytes, unless it is a very short song, it is likely to be a virus. Most viruses are just text and they don’t take up much hard drive space, so be wary of small files.

Check out mainstream MP3 stores and look for their free music section. Often this is populated with songs from up and coming artists which are worth checking out. For example, MP3.com has a whole category dedicated to free songs. You can sample each and then download those that sound great.

Not all free music is illegal music. Major online retailers of mp3 files routinely put out free samplers for you to enjoy. Older music performed by many artists might fall into public domain. Some artists even release tracks for free sheerly for the promotional benefits they get out of it.

Avoid downloading music from websites that do not let you test the quality of their music. Some sites claim that they have the highest quality downloads of the music, but when you purchase and download it, it is low quality or edited. Avoid this by only sticking with sites that have some type of “Preview” or “Sample” options.

Even if you are downloading from a familiar source like Amazon or iTunes, make sure that your download device has security features and antivirus protection. You never know what is out there. Always scan any files you download before you open them or transfer them to another device, just in case.

One of the most convenient ways to download music you like without getting in legal trouble is by using a converter. There are several sites that allow you to input a YouTube link, and it automatically creates an mp3 without the ad. This is a great option if you like mainstream music.

As you can see, downloading music can be quite simple. Take the time to review each of these suggestions. Then, start downloading your favorite bands. You will be amazed at how simple and exciting it really is. Refer back to this page if you need to. In no time, you will be an expert!