Starting an exercise program is hard enough, isn't it? No matter what you seem to do or how much you plan, it's never as easy as it looks. However, there are plenty of ways to help make your exercise time fly. One of the most popular ways to help your workout is to add a little music to your exercise plans. Here's what you need to know.
Why add music to your routine?
A lot of people will say that they like the quiet time of exercise, listening to their breathing, and checking their workout times. If you are not one of these folks then you need something to help make working out easier and more fun – like music.
Music helps you take your mind off of how hard your workout might be. For example, when you're off running or lifting weights, music can help you forget about the things that you are thinking about and focus on your favorite songs. This subtle distraction can allow you to focus on working out hard and strong.
When you add music to your workout routine, you can create a soundtrack for your success. Add your favorite inspirational music – think "Chariots of Fire" or the "Rocky" theme – to make you push just a little harder and make it to the end of your workout routine. Whatever music makes you feel strong and powerful, add that to your workout rotation.
How do you add music to your workout?
Before you can add music to your workout, you will want to realize that some preparation time is necessary. What you'll want to do is create compilations (mixes) of your favorite songs beforehand. For those of you that have digital music players, this is quite simple. All you need to do is create a play list by adding your favorite songs to a folder, burning them to CD, or playing them on your player.
What about the tempo of my music?
One of the things that you will want to keep in mind when you're working out is how fast your music is. While you want something that's faster in pace, you don't want to choose anything that's so fast that you can't keep up or you'll over-exert yourself. Some techno music can be a little too fast for light cardio workouts or strength training.
On the other hand you'll want to make sure that you're not including songs that are too slow either. Generally speaking, you will want to start with slower music for your warm up and stretching, then slowly build up the tempo of your music and then bring it back down again for the cool down.
This sounds too difficult
While this does sound time consuming, you can also find recommendations on many fitness sites and in magazines. These lists are already created to help you maintain a certain fitness pace, so they can be very effective. Or you might want to choose musical CDs and tapes that are specifically designed for working out at a certain pace – such as 80 bpm (beats per minute).
Music is the soundtrack to our lives; why not include it as the soundtrack for your workout? When you choose inspiring and fast-paced music, it can actually help you work out longer and harder – give it a try! Select songs that inspire and motivate you!
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Homemade Musical Instruments
There are hundreds of different kinds of musical instruments in the world. Some of the basic instruments can be made at home while others have to be made professionally. In some cases, homemade musical instruments can be an excellent business venture if the knowledge and expertise has been passed down from ancestors. For some it may be for solely recreational purposes while others may indulge in it for artistic reasons. Children may also get involved in making musical instruments at an early age. This is usually introduced in craft classes at schools or at holiday camps through vocational training. Learning how to make musical instruments is a process that requires a lot of practice unless it is just for fun. By using materials that are easily available at home or in the market, musical instruments can be made. Old pots and pans can be used as drums and old wooden spoons as drumsticks. A coconut cut in two, with the coconut meat removed, can be used as musical clappers. Old plastic drink bottles and containers filled with dried beans, dried corn, or rice can be used as bottle shakers. Glass bottle xylophones can be made at home by filling old glasses or bottles with different amount of colored water and using spoons or lead pencils to tap the containers to create a new musical tune. Old pieces of dowling cut into shorter sticks and painted can be used as rhythm or lumi sticks. Simply using an empty coffee can or oatmeal box painted or covered with contact paper can be used as drums. Stringing three to four bells onto a large pipe cleaner can make wrist bells. This pipe cleaner can be twisted around the wrist.
These homemade musical instruments can be left plain or decorated. Musical instruments can be decorated with a combination of buttons and glitter or sequins and yarn. Materials such as ribbons, beads, sand, cellophane, crayons, markers, paint, nail polish, construction paper etc are other decorative items. Hence, making musical instruments at home is a fairly simple and enjoyable activity but requires some amount of creativity.
Chinese Musical Instruments
Like every country has its own traditional music and musical instruments, China also has traditional musical instruments that have been developed over the centuries. Traditionally, Chinese musical instruments have been classified according to the materials they are made up of. These materials are namely, stone, silk, gourd, metal, bamboo, clay, skin, and wood. Among these, the stone and wood instruments have become outdated. Chinese musical instruments may also be classified into string, wind, or percussion instruments. String instruments may be classified into plucked string instruments and bowed string instruments. The older instruments consist of long zithers, panpipes, flutes, the sheng, or mouth organ, and percussion instruments, such as clappers, gongs, and drums. Various lutes and fiddles were introduced later to China from Central Asia.
Erhu is a type of bowed string instrument. It is a two-stringed fiddle and is one of the most popular Chinese instruments in the Hu-qin family. Gao-hu is another bowed string instrument. Gao-Hu is mostly used for high-pitched tunes that Erhu cannot play and frequently used for performing vivid and brisk rhythms. Gao-Hu has louder volume yet brighter tones, and thus it serves as both a solo and leading instrument in performing Cantonese operas and folk melodies.
Pipa is a type of plucked string instrument and belongs to the Lute family. It is a four-stringed lute with 30 frets and pear-shaped body. The Pipa is to be held upright by the instrumentalist and played with five small plectra attached to each finger of the right hand. This musical instrument has a remarkable expressive power and an extremely dynamic range. Yueqin, a plucked string instrument, is a moon shaped lute with shorter neck and four strings. Gugin is another important plucked string instrument, which is like a seven-stringed zither.
Wind musical instruments are very popular in China. A Dizi, traditionally made of bamboo, is the simplest wind instrument. This instrument is especially popular, as it is a low cost instrument and is relatively easy to learn.
African Musical Instruments
In traditional African culture, music has ritual, social, and ceremonial functions along with some solely recreational functions. Musical activities are highly ritualized and are considered to link the invisible world with the visible world. Melodies are generally organized within a scale of four, five, six, or seven tones. Musical instruments in Africa take on sculptural forms that are sacred, elaborate, simple, humorous, and serious, or a combination of all. Irrespective of whether these musical instruments are beaded, carved, painted, or decorated with skins, they send messages about the religious beliefs, artistic styles, and entertainment practices of the people who made them.
Percussion instruments are very popular musical instruments in Africa. Musical instruments of sub-Saharan Africa comprise of a wide variety of resonant solids such as stamping tubes, the mbira (thumb piano), and the xylophone. Mbira is one of the most popular melodic instruments in Africa. The mbira is used in different ways by different cultures and also exists in different forms in different cultures. Mbira may be used for entertainment purpose or for religious ceremonies. Friction sticks, bells, clappers, rattles, cymbals, and sansa are very popular percussion instruments.
Among the popular African instruments, drums are an important musical instrument. There are various parchment-head drums such as kettledrums, cylindrical drums, semi cylindrical drums, goblet drums, barrel-shaped drums, and hourglass drums with variable-tension heads. Many wind instruments are constructed out of horns, tusks, conch shells, or wood. Among wind instruments are flutes made of millet, reed, bamboo, or the tips of animal horns, and gourds. Panpipes, ocarinas, whistle, oboe, horns that are made from elephant tusks or animal horns, and trumpets made of wood, sections of gourd, or metal tubes, single-reed pipes made from millet stalks, and double-reed pipes adopted from Arabic culture are among other African wind instruments. African stringed musical instruments or chordophones include musical bows, zithers, bowed and plucked lutes, arched harps, harp-lutes, and lyres.
Used Musical Instruments
Buying used musical instruments has advantages and disadvantages. For instance, a good quality instrument can be found at a lower price than when compared with buying a new one. On the other hand, there is always an element of risk involved when buying a used musical instrument. Another difficulty is that there are no warranties associated with used instruments, unless the instrument is fairly new. When purchasing a used musical instrument, it is advisable to keep some of these things in mind.
A good way to determine a used instrument’s condition is to know who owned it in the past. If buying the instrument from a garage sale, it may be possible to meet the owner and ask him how long he used it and why it is being sold. If buying it online, make sure that the online shop has a good customer satisfaction rating, or better still, a return policy. There are several Web sites that have attractive and colorful pictures of musical instruments that they are selling. They also feature exhaustive information about the products. Having these pictures helps the buyer to make a better choice when ordering the instrument. Pictures are especially useful for locating a particular kind or rare kinds of musical instruments. If buying it from a music store, ask the salesperson if it is possible to know the name of its previous owner, how long it has been in the store, and other such details.
When buying a used instrument, it is advisable to be accompanied by someone who has a good knowledge of musical instruments. They can help decide whether the instrument is in a good condition by playing it and listening to how it sounds and how it feels while playing it. These things will help decide if the instrument is worth purchasing or not. Research all aspects of the instrument before purchasing it. Find out how much a brand new one costs by going to different music stores. Then compare the prices and the condition of the instruments and decide whether it is a good deal. When the final purchase decision is made, make sure that the money being paid for it is worth it.
The Guqin a Chinese Musical Instrument that Helped Defeat an Army
The guqin, or seven-stringed zither, is China's oldest stringed instrument, and as legend has it, its sweet sounds once helped defeat an army. Now this ancient instrument experiences a modern-day renaissance. This holiday season, NTDTV’s Holiday Wonders (live at the Beacon Theater on Broadway, NYC, Dec. 19-24, 2006) brings a unique opportunity to experience the magic of traditional Chinese culture, using traditional and ancient instruments. The magnificence of the backdrops, the abundant imagination, the marvelous music, the splendor of the costumes, and the actors' great skill--altogether make for outstanding entertainment reflecting China's 5,000 years of civilization and traditional culture--a culture full of myths and legends.
The first guqins were made about 3,000 years ago. They were very simple, with just one or two strings. As aesthetic concepts flowered and playing skills improved, the instrument changed. By the 3rd century the guqin had seven strings, and was very similar to the instrument played today.
Historically, the guqin has been viewed as a symbol of high culture, as well as the instrument most able to express the essence of Chinese music. There is consequently a great deal of symbolism surrounding the guqin.
In ancient China, the guqin was an instrument played mainly by those of noble birth. Among the 3,000 or so guqin tunes that have been handed down, the majority are works by the then ruling class, expressing their aspirations.
In Chinese history, there is a famous story called the “Empty City Trick" (Kong Cheng Ji) in which the guqin played the key role in defeating an army of thousands. The story of Kong Cheng Ji can be found in the famous 15th century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
During the “Three Kingdoms" period (220-280), the Kingdom of Shu underwent a series of defeats by the Kingdom of Wei. On one occasion the Wei general, Sima Yi, advanced with his armies to the gate of a Shu city, unaware that there were no Shu soldiers within the city to protect it.
On seeing the Wei army advance, rather than capitulating, the Shu military advisor Zhuge Liang went to the gate tower and played a beautiful melody on his guqin.
As he listened, Sima Yi, the general of the invading army, found himself in a quandary. He tried to tell from the nuance of the music whether the city was truly empty, or if Shu soldiers hid within it. Judging by the tranquil tones, he decided this was a trick of Zhuge Liang's to tempt his army into an ambush, and so he ordered a retreat.
The ruse helped the Kingdom of Shu to avoid another defeat and ultimate destruction.
You may wonder what melody Zhuge Liang played. Nobody knows. This will probably forever remain a secret shrouded in the mists of history.
The first guqins were made about 3,000 years ago. They were very simple, with just one or two strings. As aesthetic concepts flowered and playing skills improved, the instrument changed. By the 3rd century the guqin had seven strings, and was very similar to the instrument played today.
Historically, the guqin has been viewed as a symbol of high culture, as well as the instrument most able to express the essence of Chinese music. There is consequently a great deal of symbolism surrounding the guqin.
In ancient China, the guqin was an instrument played mainly by those of noble birth. Among the 3,000 or so guqin tunes that have been handed down, the majority are works by the then ruling class, expressing their aspirations.
In Chinese history, there is a famous story called the “Empty City Trick" (Kong Cheng Ji) in which the guqin played the key role in defeating an army of thousands. The story of Kong Cheng Ji can be found in the famous 15th century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
During the “Three Kingdoms" period (220-280), the Kingdom of Shu underwent a series of defeats by the Kingdom of Wei. On one occasion the Wei general, Sima Yi, advanced with his armies to the gate of a Shu city, unaware that there were no Shu soldiers within the city to protect it.
On seeing the Wei army advance, rather than capitulating, the Shu military advisor Zhuge Liang went to the gate tower and played a beautiful melody on his guqin.
As he listened, Sima Yi, the general of the invading army, found himself in a quandary. He tried to tell from the nuance of the music whether the city was truly empty, or if Shu soldiers hid within it. Judging by the tranquil tones, he decided this was a trick of Zhuge Liang's to tempt his army into an ambush, and so he ordered a retreat.
The ruse helped the Kingdom of Shu to avoid another defeat and ultimate destruction.
You may wonder what melody Zhuge Liang played. Nobody knows. This will probably forever remain a secret shrouded in the mists of history.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Smart Shopping MP3 Players
Newer models with color displays can show photos and videos.
The MP3 player continues its evolution from simple audio player to complex multimedia device. More and more players come with color displays and the ability to show digital photos transferred from your computer, sometimes while the music is playing. Such models usually also play music videos, TV shows, and short films.
As digital players morph, one thing remains constant: The brand name that's on most of them. Apple’s iPod players still account for more than three out of four MP3 players sold. Hardware alone doesn’t explain Apple’s dominance. While iPods score well in our tests, so do players from other manufacturers, many of which offer capabilities and features that iPods lack.
Apple's success rests in part on its creation of a self-contained digital-entertainment system. iTunes, its content-management software, works seamlesslyonly with iPods;a fact that's prompted the French government to sue Apple for monopolistic practices. Its online iTunes store offers by far the largest library of online video content, supplementing its dominance over online music sales. Its content includes many exclusives and also offers comprehensive one-stop access to podcasts, the booming (and mostly free) online downloads that offer everything from National Public Radio broadcasts to music-preview shows to weekly self-help recordings. And while you can play content obtained from the store (and use iTunes software) on virtually any computer, including Windows PCs and Macs, you need an iPod to enjoy it portably.
Not that all innovative content comes from Apple. Other legal online content sources include BuyMusic, MSN, MusicMatch, Napster, Real, Sony, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo. Unlike iTunes, some of these sites also offer subscription-based services, typically for less than $10 per month that let you listen to music on your computer in real time (streaming). Downloaded songs from contemporary artists typically cost less than $1 per song, or $10 for an entire album; music videos, hit TV-show episodes, and short films cost $2 each.
Free online music-sharing, still the most popular way for acquiring MP3 music, has been driven underground by a flurry of record-industry lawsuits and a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. (The justices unanimously ruled that the popular music-sharing site Grokster, as well as similar operations, could be held liable if their networks were used to illegally distribute copyrighted music.) Napster, a pioneer of free peer-to-peer music-sharing, now allows you to stream music free from its (now legal) site, for up to five listens per song.
Before you buy any digital player, be sure your computer can handle it. New computers shouldn’t be a problem, but make sure any player you’re considering is compatible with your older Windows or Macintosh computer (including its operating system). Keep in mind that some operating-system upgrades can exceed the price of a player. Your computer must have a USB port. Consider high-speed Internet access if you plan to download much of your music. Also keep in mind that getting started can be tricky with some players. Even if compatible with the player, an older computer may not recognize it easily, so you might have to seek help from the player manufacturer.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Major brands of MP3 players include Apple, Archos, Cowon, Creative Labs, iRiver, Philips, RCA, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony, and Toshiba. Brands from smaller companies are on the market as well. And MP3 playback has been incorporated into other handheld portable products, including CD players, cell phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
Flash-memory players.
These are the smallest and lightest players, often no bigger than a pack of gum, and they weigh no more than 2 or 3 ounces. They’re solid-state, meaning they have no moving parts and tend to have longer audio playback time than players that use hard-disk storage. Storage capacities range from 128 megabytes to 8 gigabytes, or about 30 to 2,000 songs. (All capacities listed here are based on a standard CD-quality setting of 128 kilobits per second, which requires about 1 gigabyte per 250 songs. You can fit more music into memory if you compress songs into smaller files, but that may result in lower audio quality.) Some flash-memory players also have expansion slots to add more memory via card slots on the player. Common expansion-memory formats include Compact Flash, MultiMedia, Secure Digital, and SmartMedia. Sony players may use a MagicGate MemoryStick, a copyright-protected version of Sony’s existing MemoryStick media. Memory-card capacities range from about 32 MB to 2 GB. Memory costs have gradually dropped. Price: $40 to $280 for the player; $45 to $50 for a 1-GB memory card.
Hard-disk players.
There are two types: microdrive and standard hard-disk. The palm-sized microdrive players have a tiny hard drive with a storage capacity of 3 to 8 GB (about 750 to 2,000 songs). They weigh about a quarter-pound. Standard hard-disk players are about the size of a deck of cards, and they have a storage capacity of 10 to 80 GB (about 2,500 to 20,000 songs). They typically weigh less than half a pound. Some hard-disk players with video capability have relatively larger displays, and as a result tend to be the bulkiest models. Price: $140 and up.
CD players with “MP3” compatibility.
Flash-memory and hard-disk portable players aren’t the only way to enjoy digital music. Many of today's portable CD players can play digital music saved on discs and may support the copyright-protected formats from online music stores. Controls and displays are comparable to portable MP3 players, and you can group songs on each disc according to artist, genre, and other categories. A CD, with its 650- to 800-MB storage capacity, can hold more than 10 hours of MP3-formatted music at the standard CD-quality setting. You can create MP3 CDs using the proper software and your PC's CD burner. Price: $25 and up for the players; 15 cents to 75 cents or so for blank CDs.
Cell phones.
An increasing number of phones have built-in MP3 players, some with controls and features that rival stand-alone players. Sprint, Verizon, and other cell-phone providers let subscribers download music over their networks. But music phones are pricey, and most can’t store more than 150 songs. Price: 99 cents to $2.50 per song; $150 and up for a phone with a two-year contract, or $500 without one.
Satellite radio. Some pocket-sized XM and Sirius receivers have built-in memory for recording up to 50 hours of satellite programming, and might also let you add your own MP3 songs to the mix. Not all models let you listen to live programming on the go; some must be docked at home. Price: $200 to $400 for the receiver; about $13 a month for satellite service.
IMPORTANT FEATURES
Software and hardware.
Most MP3 players come with software to convert your CDs into the audio playback format the player can handle. You can also organize your music collection according to artist, album, genre, and a variety of other categories, as well as create playlists to suit any mood or occasion. All come with software to help you shuttle content between your PC and the player via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection. All players work with a Windows PC, and some support the Macintosh platform.
Player upgradability.
On most models, the firmware—the built-in operating instructions can be upgraded so the player does not become obsolete. Upgrades can add or enhance features, fix bugs, and add support for other audio and video formats and operating systems. This is particularly important for models with video playback because of the evolving nature of video formats.
Display.
Most MP3 players have a display screen that allows you to view the song title, track number, amount of memory remaining, battery-life indicator, and other functions. Screens can be monochrome or color. Models with color displays also let you store and view pictures taken with your digital camera, and in some cases, video clips.
Some displays present a list of tracks from which you can easily make a selection, while others show only one track at a time, requiring you to advance through individual tracks to find the desired one. On some of the models you can access the player's function controls by a wired or infrared remote control. Most players have built-in management of songs that can be accessed via album, artist, or genre. Individual playlists of songs are usually created on a computer and transferred to the player, though many let you manage the music on the player, allowing you to edit playlists and delete files.
Photo playback.
Virtually all players with color screens can display JPEGs, the default photo format of most digital cameras. Some can handle TIFFs, BMPs, and lesser-known formats as well. Many let you view your photos in slideshow fashion, complete with fade-outs, scrolls, and other transitions, as well as with music.
Video playback.
A growing number of players with color displays can also store and play back video. The video is in a format that compresses about three hours of video into 1 GB of memory space. Popular content sources include CinemaNow and iTunes, which let you download music videos, TV shows, and short films for $2 apiece. But iTunes works only with iPods, and CinemaNow supports only players that can handle copy-protected Windows formats. Virtually all video players come with software that converts non-protected movies into a format the player can handle.
As for the viewing experience itself, MP3-player screens are relatively tiny—even when compared with portable DVD players and are hard to see in outdoor light. Players with the largest screens, up to 3 inches wide, are easier to watch for longer periods and some come with built-in speakers. But they can weigh as much a pound and are often too bulky to stuff into a shirt pocket.
Sound enhancement.
Expect some type of equalizer, which allows you to adjust the tone in various ways. A custom setting through separate bass and treble controls or adjustable equalizers gives you the most control over the tone. Some players have presets, such as rock or jazz as well as channel balance control.
Playback controls.
Volume, track play/pause, and forward/reverse controls are standard. Most portable MP3 players let you set a play mode so you can repeat one or all music tracks, or play tracks in a random order, also referred to as shuffle mode. An A-B repeat feature allows you to set bookmarks and repeat a section of the music track.
Useful extras.
In addition to playing music, most MP3 players can function as external hard drives, allowing you to shuttle files from one PC to another. Some players can act as a USB host, which lets you transfer images, data, or music directly from a memory-card reader, digital camera, or another MP3 player without using a computer. A few of these, however, won’t let you play or view the files you transfer. Some allow you to view text files, photos, and videos on their display screens. Other convenient features include an FM radio tuner, a built-in microphone or line input for recording, and adapters or a line output for patching the player into your car’s audio system.
HOW TO CHOOSE
New portable models with more features and greater capabilities are continually coming out. Decide how much you’re willing to spend on a unit you may want to replace in a year or two. Here are some considerations before you buy:
Decide whether to get an iPod. With Apple's family of players so ubiquitous, and so similar in many ways, it's worth considering the advantages and shortcomings of iPods before going further with your buying decision. iPods are easy to use, thanks to superb integration of the players and the company’s iTunes software. The iTunes Store offers the largest selection of legal digital content on the Web, including virtually all the available downloads of major TV shows. And with the use of iTunes software so widespread, it’s very likely that a friend or family member from whom you might want to borrow content already uses it—meaning you’ll need an iPod to enjoy their songs or videos.
iPods also have a plethora of accessories to extend their use, from boomboxes and clock radios with iPod slots to iPod cases that come in every color and fabric imaginable. Few other brands of players have custom aftermarket equipment (although generic gear will, for example, allow you to pipe any player into a component sound system or a car stereo).
As for drawbacks, iPods typically cost a little more than non-Apple players with comparable capacity. They also lack some of the features and accessories that come with many other players, such as an FM radio, voice recorder, and an AC charger. Equipping a new iPod with some of these options can increase its price by more than $100. And iPods have some special limitations, such as the inability to easily transfer music from your iPod to any other device. In addition, iPods require you to open iTunes to transfer music into the player; competing devices more conveniently let you drag and drop music files without opening music-management software.
Weigh capacity vs. size. Consider a flash-memory model (holding up to 2,000 songs) if a lower price, smaller size, lighter weight, and long playback time are more important to you than a vast selection of tunes. Look for flash models that can accept external memory cards if you want expanded song capacity. If you have a large music collection that you want to keep with you, a hard-disk player might make more sense. Those players can hold up to 20,000 songs and could serenade you for weeks without repeating a tune. However, a hard-disk player can be more complicated to manage than a flash-memory player. For some, navigating through the menus or directories (folders) of songs might also take longer.
Hard-disk players vary in size, generally in step with capacity. Microdrive players are about the size of a credit card, and a 4-GB model can hold about 1,000 songs, whereas models with 20-GB hard disks are about the size of a deck of cards and can hold about 5,000 songs.
Consider download choices. Be aware that online music copy-protected sources are limited with some models. For example, Sony players work only with one online music store, while iPods are compatible with iTunes and Real. Players that support the copy-protected WMA formats, like those from Archos, Creative, RCA, and Samsung, allow access to the greatest number of online stores, and, because of the competition, cheaper music. Another WMA-store benefit: BuyMusic, MSN, Real, and other sites offer songs at a higher bit rate than the standard 128 kbs, which has the potential to sound better. Some players won’t play music purchased from any online store. Downloading “free” music from such online sources as peer-to-peer Web sites is another option. But you risk a copyright-infringement lawsuit by the music industry. You’ll also increase your exposure to a host of nasty computer viruses and spyware programs that tend to hitch rides on songs swapped on these sites.
Also, note that with most players, you have choices when it comes to software for recording (ripping) music. You can use the software that comes with your computer or player, such as Apple iTunes, MusicMatch, Napster, or Windows Media Player, or download other freeware or shareware applications. If the program has the software plug-in for your player, you can transfer the music to your player directly; otherwise you’ll need to use the program that came with your player to perform the transfer. iPod owners, for example, need to use iTunes to transfer music to the player.
Ensure upgradability.
Regardless of which player you choose, look for one with upgradable firmware for adding or enhancing player features, as well as accommodating newer encoding schemes or variations of compression. This is particularly important for models with video playback due to the evolving nature of video formats. However, note that upgrading firmware can be a time-consuming and sometimes risky process. MP3 players use several methods for upgrading; one method, which executes the upgrade file on the computer while the player is still attached, can cause permanent damage to the player if there’s even a slight interruption during execution. Upgrades can be found at the manufacturer and music-management software application Web sites.
Consider headphone quality.
While many players can produce near audio-CD quality music out of their headphone jacks, the headphones they come with can degrade the quality. Most perform respectably, and any performance differences might not be a bother you in typical, everyday use. If you’re particular about listening quality, it would be worth buying better-quality after-market headphones for use with your player.
Consider power consumption and battery type.
With any portable device, batteries are a consideration. Our tests found a wide variation in battery life among the players. Depending on the player settings, some will run out of power after only six hours of play, while others can play music for more than 50 hours before their batteries give out. Flash-memory players tend to have longer playback times than hard-disk players. Playing videos can run a battery down in just a few hours.
Many flash-memory players use AA or AAA batteries and can accept either standard or rechargeable batteries. You can expect a bit longer playback time using standard batteries, but purchasing a charger and using rechargeable batteries will be more cost effective in the long run as well as being more environmentally friendly. (For advice on recycling used batteries, visit our Web site, www.GreenerChoices.org.)
Other players use a rechargeable nonstandard block or gumstick shaped nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) or lithium-ion (Li-ion) removable battery, which is both more expensive and harder to find. Many hard-drive players use a non-removable rechargeable battery. When the battery can no longer hold a charge, the player has to be sent back to the manufacturer for service; a costly procedure if the product is no longer under warranty.
Consider ergonomics and design.
Whichever type of MP3 player you choose, make sure you'll be comfortable using the device. Look for a display and controls that are easy to read and that can be worked with one hand. Because sizes and shapes vary widely, check to see that the player fits comfortably in your pockets, and that it's easy to fish out when you need to access controls. Accessories that may be important to you may not be included, such as an AC charger, protector cases, or belt clips, a consideration to you in the overall cost of the player.
The MP3 player continues its evolution from simple audio player to complex multimedia device. More and more players come with color displays and the ability to show digital photos transferred from your computer, sometimes while the music is playing. Such models usually also play music videos, TV shows, and short films.
As digital players morph, one thing remains constant: The brand name that's on most of them. Apple’s iPod players still account for more than three out of four MP3 players sold. Hardware alone doesn’t explain Apple’s dominance. While iPods score well in our tests, so do players from other manufacturers, many of which offer capabilities and features that iPods lack.
Apple's success rests in part on its creation of a self-contained digital-entertainment system. iTunes, its content-management software, works seamlesslyonly with iPods;a fact that's prompted the French government to sue Apple for monopolistic practices. Its online iTunes store offers by far the largest library of online video content, supplementing its dominance over online music sales. Its content includes many exclusives and also offers comprehensive one-stop access to podcasts, the booming (and mostly free) online downloads that offer everything from National Public Radio broadcasts to music-preview shows to weekly self-help recordings. And while you can play content obtained from the store (and use iTunes software) on virtually any computer, including Windows PCs and Macs, you need an iPod to enjoy it portably.
Not that all innovative content comes from Apple. Other legal online content sources include BuyMusic, MSN, MusicMatch, Napster, Real, Sony, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo. Unlike iTunes, some of these sites also offer subscription-based services, typically for less than $10 per month that let you listen to music on your computer in real time (streaming). Downloaded songs from contemporary artists typically cost less than $1 per song, or $10 for an entire album; music videos, hit TV-show episodes, and short films cost $2 each.
Free online music-sharing, still the most popular way for acquiring MP3 music, has been driven underground by a flurry of record-industry lawsuits and a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. (The justices unanimously ruled that the popular music-sharing site Grokster, as well as similar operations, could be held liable if their networks were used to illegally distribute copyrighted music.) Napster, a pioneer of free peer-to-peer music-sharing, now allows you to stream music free from its (now legal) site, for up to five listens per song.
Before you buy any digital player, be sure your computer can handle it. New computers shouldn’t be a problem, but make sure any player you’re considering is compatible with your older Windows or Macintosh computer (including its operating system). Keep in mind that some operating-system upgrades can exceed the price of a player. Your computer must have a USB port. Consider high-speed Internet access if you plan to download much of your music. Also keep in mind that getting started can be tricky with some players. Even if compatible with the player, an older computer may not recognize it easily, so you might have to seek help from the player manufacturer.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Major brands of MP3 players include Apple, Archos, Cowon, Creative Labs, iRiver, Philips, RCA, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony, and Toshiba. Brands from smaller companies are on the market as well. And MP3 playback has been incorporated into other handheld portable products, including CD players, cell phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
Flash-memory players.
These are the smallest and lightest players, often no bigger than a pack of gum, and they weigh no more than 2 or 3 ounces. They’re solid-state, meaning they have no moving parts and tend to have longer audio playback time than players that use hard-disk storage. Storage capacities range from 128 megabytes to 8 gigabytes, or about 30 to 2,000 songs. (All capacities listed here are based on a standard CD-quality setting of 128 kilobits per second, which requires about 1 gigabyte per 250 songs. You can fit more music into memory if you compress songs into smaller files, but that may result in lower audio quality.) Some flash-memory players also have expansion slots to add more memory via card slots on the player. Common expansion-memory formats include Compact Flash, MultiMedia, Secure Digital, and SmartMedia. Sony players may use a MagicGate MemoryStick, a copyright-protected version of Sony’s existing MemoryStick media. Memory-card capacities range from about 32 MB to 2 GB. Memory costs have gradually dropped. Price: $40 to $280 for the player; $45 to $50 for a 1-GB memory card.
Hard-disk players.
There are two types: microdrive and standard hard-disk. The palm-sized microdrive players have a tiny hard drive with a storage capacity of 3 to 8 GB (about 750 to 2,000 songs). They weigh about a quarter-pound. Standard hard-disk players are about the size of a deck of cards, and they have a storage capacity of 10 to 80 GB (about 2,500 to 20,000 songs). They typically weigh less than half a pound. Some hard-disk players with video capability have relatively larger displays, and as a result tend to be the bulkiest models. Price: $140 and up.
CD players with “MP3” compatibility.
Flash-memory and hard-disk portable players aren’t the only way to enjoy digital music. Many of today's portable CD players can play digital music saved on discs and may support the copyright-protected formats from online music stores. Controls and displays are comparable to portable MP3 players, and you can group songs on each disc according to artist, genre, and other categories. A CD, with its 650- to 800-MB storage capacity, can hold more than 10 hours of MP3-formatted music at the standard CD-quality setting. You can create MP3 CDs using the proper software and your PC's CD burner. Price: $25 and up for the players; 15 cents to 75 cents or so for blank CDs.
Cell phones.
An increasing number of phones have built-in MP3 players, some with controls and features that rival stand-alone players. Sprint, Verizon, and other cell-phone providers let subscribers download music over their networks. But music phones are pricey, and most can’t store more than 150 songs. Price: 99 cents to $2.50 per song; $150 and up for a phone with a two-year contract, or $500 without one.
Satellite radio. Some pocket-sized XM and Sirius receivers have built-in memory for recording up to 50 hours of satellite programming, and might also let you add your own MP3 songs to the mix. Not all models let you listen to live programming on the go; some must be docked at home. Price: $200 to $400 for the receiver; about $13 a month for satellite service.
IMPORTANT FEATURES
Software and hardware.
Most MP3 players come with software to convert your CDs into the audio playback format the player can handle. You can also organize your music collection according to artist, album, genre, and a variety of other categories, as well as create playlists to suit any mood or occasion. All come with software to help you shuttle content between your PC and the player via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection. All players work with a Windows PC, and some support the Macintosh platform.
Player upgradability.
On most models, the firmware—the built-in operating instructions can be upgraded so the player does not become obsolete. Upgrades can add or enhance features, fix bugs, and add support for other audio and video formats and operating systems. This is particularly important for models with video playback because of the evolving nature of video formats.
Display.
Most MP3 players have a display screen that allows you to view the song title, track number, amount of memory remaining, battery-life indicator, and other functions. Screens can be monochrome or color. Models with color displays also let you store and view pictures taken with your digital camera, and in some cases, video clips.
Some displays present a list of tracks from which you can easily make a selection, while others show only one track at a time, requiring you to advance through individual tracks to find the desired one. On some of the models you can access the player's function controls by a wired or infrared remote control. Most players have built-in management of songs that can be accessed via album, artist, or genre. Individual playlists of songs are usually created on a computer and transferred to the player, though many let you manage the music on the player, allowing you to edit playlists and delete files.
Photo playback.
Virtually all players with color screens can display JPEGs, the default photo format of most digital cameras. Some can handle TIFFs, BMPs, and lesser-known formats as well. Many let you view your photos in slideshow fashion, complete with fade-outs, scrolls, and other transitions, as well as with music.
Video playback.
A growing number of players with color displays can also store and play back video. The video is in a format that compresses about three hours of video into 1 GB of memory space. Popular content sources include CinemaNow and iTunes, which let you download music videos, TV shows, and short films for $2 apiece. But iTunes works only with iPods, and CinemaNow supports only players that can handle copy-protected Windows formats. Virtually all video players come with software that converts non-protected movies into a format the player can handle.
As for the viewing experience itself, MP3-player screens are relatively tiny—even when compared with portable DVD players and are hard to see in outdoor light. Players with the largest screens, up to 3 inches wide, are easier to watch for longer periods and some come with built-in speakers. But they can weigh as much a pound and are often too bulky to stuff into a shirt pocket.
Sound enhancement.
Expect some type of equalizer, which allows you to adjust the tone in various ways. A custom setting through separate bass and treble controls or adjustable equalizers gives you the most control over the tone. Some players have presets, such as rock or jazz as well as channel balance control.
Playback controls.
Volume, track play/pause, and forward/reverse controls are standard. Most portable MP3 players let you set a play mode so you can repeat one or all music tracks, or play tracks in a random order, also referred to as shuffle mode. An A-B repeat feature allows you to set bookmarks and repeat a section of the music track.
Useful extras.
In addition to playing music, most MP3 players can function as external hard drives, allowing you to shuttle files from one PC to another. Some players can act as a USB host, which lets you transfer images, data, or music directly from a memory-card reader, digital camera, or another MP3 player without using a computer. A few of these, however, won’t let you play or view the files you transfer. Some allow you to view text files, photos, and videos on their display screens. Other convenient features include an FM radio tuner, a built-in microphone or line input for recording, and adapters or a line output for patching the player into your car’s audio system.
HOW TO CHOOSE
New portable models with more features and greater capabilities are continually coming out. Decide how much you’re willing to spend on a unit you may want to replace in a year or two. Here are some considerations before you buy:
Decide whether to get an iPod. With Apple's family of players so ubiquitous, and so similar in many ways, it's worth considering the advantages and shortcomings of iPods before going further with your buying decision. iPods are easy to use, thanks to superb integration of the players and the company’s iTunes software. The iTunes Store offers the largest selection of legal digital content on the Web, including virtually all the available downloads of major TV shows. And with the use of iTunes software so widespread, it’s very likely that a friend or family member from whom you might want to borrow content already uses it—meaning you’ll need an iPod to enjoy their songs or videos.
iPods also have a plethora of accessories to extend their use, from boomboxes and clock radios with iPod slots to iPod cases that come in every color and fabric imaginable. Few other brands of players have custom aftermarket equipment (although generic gear will, for example, allow you to pipe any player into a component sound system or a car stereo).
As for drawbacks, iPods typically cost a little more than non-Apple players with comparable capacity. They also lack some of the features and accessories that come with many other players, such as an FM radio, voice recorder, and an AC charger. Equipping a new iPod with some of these options can increase its price by more than $100. And iPods have some special limitations, such as the inability to easily transfer music from your iPod to any other device. In addition, iPods require you to open iTunes to transfer music into the player; competing devices more conveniently let you drag and drop music files without opening music-management software.
Weigh capacity vs. size. Consider a flash-memory model (holding up to 2,000 songs) if a lower price, smaller size, lighter weight, and long playback time are more important to you than a vast selection of tunes. Look for flash models that can accept external memory cards if you want expanded song capacity. If you have a large music collection that you want to keep with you, a hard-disk player might make more sense. Those players can hold up to 20,000 songs and could serenade you for weeks without repeating a tune. However, a hard-disk player can be more complicated to manage than a flash-memory player. For some, navigating through the menus or directories (folders) of songs might also take longer.
Hard-disk players vary in size, generally in step with capacity. Microdrive players are about the size of a credit card, and a 4-GB model can hold about 1,000 songs, whereas models with 20-GB hard disks are about the size of a deck of cards and can hold about 5,000 songs.
Consider download choices. Be aware that online music copy-protected sources are limited with some models. For example, Sony players work only with one online music store, while iPods are compatible with iTunes and Real. Players that support the copy-protected WMA formats, like those from Archos, Creative, RCA, and Samsung, allow access to the greatest number of online stores, and, because of the competition, cheaper music. Another WMA-store benefit: BuyMusic, MSN, Real, and other sites offer songs at a higher bit rate than the standard 128 kbs, which has the potential to sound better. Some players won’t play music purchased from any online store. Downloading “free” music from such online sources as peer-to-peer Web sites is another option. But you risk a copyright-infringement lawsuit by the music industry. You’ll also increase your exposure to a host of nasty computer viruses and spyware programs that tend to hitch rides on songs swapped on these sites.
Also, note that with most players, you have choices when it comes to software for recording (ripping) music. You can use the software that comes with your computer or player, such as Apple iTunes, MusicMatch, Napster, or Windows Media Player, or download other freeware or shareware applications. If the program has the software plug-in for your player, you can transfer the music to your player directly; otherwise you’ll need to use the program that came with your player to perform the transfer. iPod owners, for example, need to use iTunes to transfer music to the player.
Ensure upgradability.
Regardless of which player you choose, look for one with upgradable firmware for adding or enhancing player features, as well as accommodating newer encoding schemes or variations of compression. This is particularly important for models with video playback due to the evolving nature of video formats. However, note that upgrading firmware can be a time-consuming and sometimes risky process. MP3 players use several methods for upgrading; one method, which executes the upgrade file on the computer while the player is still attached, can cause permanent damage to the player if there’s even a slight interruption during execution. Upgrades can be found at the manufacturer and music-management software application Web sites.
Consider headphone quality.
While many players can produce near audio-CD quality music out of their headphone jacks, the headphones they come with can degrade the quality. Most perform respectably, and any performance differences might not be a bother you in typical, everyday use. If you’re particular about listening quality, it would be worth buying better-quality after-market headphones for use with your player.
Consider power consumption and battery type.
With any portable device, batteries are a consideration. Our tests found a wide variation in battery life among the players. Depending on the player settings, some will run out of power after only six hours of play, while others can play music for more than 50 hours before their batteries give out. Flash-memory players tend to have longer playback times than hard-disk players. Playing videos can run a battery down in just a few hours.
Many flash-memory players use AA or AAA batteries and can accept either standard or rechargeable batteries. You can expect a bit longer playback time using standard batteries, but purchasing a charger and using rechargeable batteries will be more cost effective in the long run as well as being more environmentally friendly. (For advice on recycling used batteries, visit our Web site, www.GreenerChoices.org.)
Other players use a rechargeable nonstandard block or gumstick shaped nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) or lithium-ion (Li-ion) removable battery, which is both more expensive and harder to find. Many hard-drive players use a non-removable rechargeable battery. When the battery can no longer hold a charge, the player has to be sent back to the manufacturer for service; a costly procedure if the product is no longer under warranty.
Consider ergonomics and design.
Whichever type of MP3 player you choose, make sure you'll be comfortable using the device. Look for a display and controls that are easy to read and that can be worked with one hand. Because sizes and shapes vary widely, check to see that the player fits comfortably in your pockets, and that it's easy to fish out when you need to access controls. Accessories that may be important to you may not be included, such as an AC charger, protector cases, or belt clips, a consideration to you in the overall cost of the player.
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