The Virtual Woman: A Woman's
Weekly Guide To Cyberspace
When It Comes to Music, Web Rocks
When I first began my online career, back in the cyberstone ages, the Web was deathly silent and I'd blast music on my stereo to make up for the eerie stillness. But let's face it, we're going way back here-back to 1994 (gasp!), a full year before the Web officially got its voice and became a true multimedia environment. But if the Web cleared its throat in '95 it truly began to sing just recently with audio becoming a more seamless and more frequent part of our online experiences. Most PCs now come equipped with audio plug-ins and most people buying PCs these days either automatically toss in speakers when buying their computers or, as in my case, the speakers already come attached (looking like two long blocky ears sticking out) to the monitor. Have fun checking out this week's selections and keep those emails coming!
Dear Virtual Woman:
I'm a music junkie
and my office is so crowded with cds it looks like an
annex of the local music store! I'd like to condense my CD collection by
making compilations of my favorite songs, but using CD burners and etchers
sounds expensive and complicated. Is there an alternative way for me to
consolidate my CDs?
- Crowded in California
Dear Crowded:
Sounds like you need to be introduced to the magic of MP3 technology, a technology that may just turn the music industry on its ear. MP3 stands for MPEG Layer 3, and without getting into the nitty gritty technical details, it's simply a compressed file format that lets you store music files on your computer so that the file size is small, but it still sounds great. And you don't have to invest in a lot of expensive equipment either. Free downloadable software lets you record MP3s from your favorite CDs and listen to them on your PC. (You can also download already-recorded MP3s from hundreds of artists on sites like www.MP3.com.) For a fun and informative tutorial on MP3 technology, zoom on over to http://www.xdude.com/mp3.htm, follow the links, download the software, and you'll be on your way to a clutter-free, music-packed existence. Lycos also has a comprehensive directory (http://mp3.lycos.com/) of 500,000 MP3 files as well as MP3 News if you really get into it. If all this sounds too good to be true you may have something there. Many of the music files are not authorized by the artists to be distributed online. So remember to follow the legal guidelines. And keep in mind: it's ok to make copies from a CD for personal use, but unless you want to find yourself humming along to Jailhouse Rock, don't share them with your friends unless you get the copyright holder's permission.
Dear Virtual Woman:
I used to travel
to every Greatful Dead concert within a 500 mile radius,
but now it seems the only traveling I do is for my job. Sometimes I'm stuck
out of town waiting for a Monday meeting all weekend! Is there a way for me
to find out online if my favorite band is (or is going to be) playing in the
town I'm traveling to?
- Stuck, Orlando, FL
Dear Stuck:
It's time for you to pencil in http://www.tourdates.com on your agenda. If there's a concert happening somewhere, you're likely to find out about it here. One of the best features of the site for a traveler like you is a tour information database that you can search by city (and also by artist or venue). Just type in the city and voila, a list of bands playing in the area will appear. Another fantastic feature is the TicketBoard(tm), which is a free service that puts you in touch with people who want to buy, sell or trade tickets (and events are compiled daily and updated every week, so you won't be left holding a ticket for a canceled show). Not sure if you want to shell out 15 bucks to see the Yellow Flaming Monkeys? Check out what their fans have to say in The Critic's Corner, where reviews of past shows are posted. And as an added bonus, the Local Scene section will tell you all about the hip bands and clubs in the area, which is a great way to expand your music repertoire!
Dear Virtual Woman:
I love to keep up with the latest dish about my favorite bands, but I don't have a lot of time to spend pouring over magazines. Can you point me towards an online site that can keep me up-to-date with current music news?
- Diane W., Seattle, WA
Dear Diane:
http://www.musicnewswire.com/ is your one-stop music news shop! MusicStation Newswire gathers all the latest music stories (info is updated at least once a day) from lots of top-rated sources such as Billboard, Q, and Vibe magazines, and presents them in a format that's simple to navigate. And, in addition to keeping up with your favorite bands, you can also check out what's going on in the music industry, read (and listen to) audio reviews, and even buy music online.
Happy Surfing!
Find these links and more at WWWomen.Com (http://www.wwwomen.com) the web's largest search directory of topics for women online. Email the Virtual Woman with your Internet questions or send snailmail to: WWWomen.Com, Attn: Virtual Woman, 3701 Geary Blvd., #325, S.F., CA 94118. Copyright, 1998. WWWomen, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Contributing Editor: Mary Bergner
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