FLAC and Torrents Explained

With the Christmas releases and eventually our full back catalogue, we are wanting to offer free FLAC downloads as well as the usual MP3s. This basically means you can listen to the tracks in full CD quality. To lessen the load on our server with big FLAC files being downloaded, we are going to be using Torrents to distribute the files. This is not an expert explanation, but should let you understand enough to use them. All the applications linked to are free. FLAC FLAC is a lossless audio format, as opposed to MP3 which is lossy. So FLAC compresses like a ZIP file. When you decompress the file, it is back to its original form. However, it is still a relatively large file after compression. The only problems with FLAC are its current lack of mainstream support. I imagine any player on linux will support it and there will be a plugin/hack to get it to work with mainstream players but not natively supported. There's a good list here: http://flac.sourceforge.net/download.html I would recommend Songbird, which looks like iTunes but it's open source and lets you extend it with addons, such as built in lyrics, built in last.fm artist wikis, related youtube videos, etc. It works on OSX, Linux and Windows. VLC is also good (great for movies) but doesn't organise  your music in to a browser for you. It also works on OSX, Linux and Windows. I personally still use iTunes for MP3 and mp3player etc. but use Songbird exclusively for my FLAC collection. Torrents Torrents are a great way of sharing large files. The way it works is someone creates a .torrent file which links to a file or folder of files on their computer. The torrent file breaks down the contents of the file or folder in to small packets so that they can be uploaded and downloaded by many at the same time at great speeds. It's good because it takes the load off one particular server and spreads it amongst many users. Just like if everyone helps to do the dishes, it lessens the pain for the individual. To get a file downloading using torrents you have to first download the .torrent file (you can search for files on tracker sites such as the pirate bay or on winning sperm party). You then load that .torrent file in your torrent program, such as Transmission for Mac and Linux or µTorrent for Mac and Windows, and that manages the downloading/"leeching" (and uploading/"seeding" if you wish to share) for you. If you can get all that to work you get to open the christmas hamper up early ;) Orzelda - Spiders (wsp018) in FLAC .torrent The Ballad of Mable Wong - See Dee Are (wsp019) in FLAC .torrent Monoganon - Elephant Pregnancy (wsp020) in FLAC .torrent Blood of the Bull - Four Small Bodies (wsp021) in FLAC .torrent Please keep seeding the WSP files after you have downloaded them. Help support good quality independent music.