why not use bandcamp for albums?

[Chopperman]

earlier today I tried downloading that Mujo tape from mediafire and like an idiot I accidentally downloaded something else from that page which turned out to be an awful virus. usually i'm careful about what I download but my mind was on vacation this morning. So now my computer is slow as shit with constant pop up ads. I tried calling a computer technician but they wanted to charge me 200 to clean up the mess. My laptop cost 250 2 years ago, and I was thinking its about time to get a new one anyway, so screw that. Funny thing, after I turned them down they said maybe the manager can give a better price then came back trying to charge $120 and when I still said no they brought it down to $80.
anyway, my question is why not use bandcamp instead of mediafire or the sites like it? Bandcamp lays it out so simple plus is easy to design. Mediafire is a gross mess through which you apparently might get a fatal infection. Plus you can't even see the tracklist! When I download a zip, extract the files, then transfer them to a playlist they often get slightly rearranged so if I download from mediafire I'm not sure I even have the right tracklist.

[PlebMan]

Personally, I always use Bandcamp or Soundcloud. I can see why someone might not upload it to Bandcamp though. It can be a pain in the ass to make sure every file is wav and then separately have to upload each file

[medearis]

Once I make a solid tape... I am going to convert over to Bandcamp. Might keep Soundcloud around for single uploads. If not for anything else the layout/ease of design make the prior the winner to me.

[Unfolding]

True that, Bandcamp does everything that Mediafire does just better. Love how they don't set an upload limit unlike free Soundcloud. Only catch with Bandcamp is that if you're giving away your music they can cut you off free downloads after 300 goes (last time I checked it was something like that), they also take a small cut from paid downloads too but fair enough they've got a business to maintain. Good thing is the download limit resets each and every month.

[dr00py]

Personally, I use mediafire to share mixtapes, where as I use bandcamp to release albums or fully completed projects.

Yeah, Bandcamp is a much better platform overall, but I prefer direct file sharing for more understated releases.

I also get weird ego vibes from soundcloud/bandcamp, like some kind of cartoon funhouse-mirror showoff ish.


As for the virus thing, I use adblock so I guess I just don't have that issue.

[MattCoops]

Bandcamp has a more legit, professional appeal too.
I hate Mediafire and the like. Too much ads and possibly downloading virus. It's the reason my laptop doesn't work anymore.
I use Soundcloud for singles and experimental stuff to see how heads like it.
Bandcamp is for official downloads and cassette releases.

[Ill Green]

I prefer Bandcamp just for the fact that you can preview tracks before downloading. I am on Bandcamp Pro and its sort of the same as the free account, only things different is that you can upload video without youtube account, create preorders and other stuff to help you as an independent artist. But I recommend the free account for those starting and just want their music heard on your very own page.

Also there is a limit with free downloads but they replenish every month.

[Chopperman]

It can be a pain in the ass to make sure every file is wav and then separately have to upload each file

but I can't imagine putting all the time into making an album, then not spending an extra couple of hours on the presentation. I don't think its a pain in the ass personally. i enjoy uploading it. Played Skate 3 while uploading the last mix. Best game ever.

I also get weird ego vibes from soundcloud/bandcamp, like some kind of cartoon funhouse-mirror showoff ish.

i know what you mean, but i get weird ego vibes from the direct file album sharing as well, like some hipster attitude of rebelling against what everyone else uses even though that's what works best. That could be my imagination tho

I prefer Bandcamp just for the fact that you can preview tracks before downloading.

Yes, this is huge as well.

[ellaguru]

guys
i'm on bandcamp like some of you, but i downloaded files from mediafire from many years (and rapidshare, megaupload r.i.p.,zshare etc) and i never encountered that virus problem...

[l i f]

megaupload r.i.p

Kim Dotcom re-launched megaupload just prior to the NZ election last September. He got fucked over massively by the NZ 'news media' playing lapdog to the NZ government, themselves playing lapdog to the US and partaking in the whole Five-Eyes data-collection racket (US, UK, Can, Aust, NZ).

He has since started MEGA, which is fully encrypted file-sharing and includes a program like skype that is encrypted also.

https://mega.co.nz/

AdblockPlus is a must have.

[JadeGodHands]

earlier today I tried downloading that Mujo tape from mediafire and like an idiot I accidentally downloaded something else from that page which turned out to be an awful virus. usually i'm careful about what I download but my mind was on vacation this morning. So now my computer is slow as shit with constant pop up ads. I tried calling a computer technician but they wanted to charge me 200 to clean up the mess. My laptop cost 250 2 years ago, and I was thinking its about time to get a new one anyway, so screw that. Funny thing, after I turned them down they said maybe the manager can give a better price then came back trying to charge $120 and when I still said no they brought it down to $80.
anyway, my question is why not use bandcamp instead of mediafire or the sites like it? Bandcamp lays it out so simple plus is easy to design. Mediafire is a gross mess through which you apparently might get a fatal infection. Plus you can't even see the tracklist! When I download a zip, extract the files, then transfer them to a playlist they often get slightly rearranged so if I download from mediafire I'm not sure I even have the right tracklist.

Ha. I see something in media fire and I won't even touch it. Maybe a soundpack as an exception. But downloading stuff takes up a lot of space. No time for mystery meat. Sometimes I stream bandcamp, soundcloud and mostly youtube over and over again. Especially with youtube an artist can always monetize their streams to make a dollar or two.

Anyway, I hope the bit torrent road works for you. It is after all the next step in that concept.

[MattCoops]

Bandcamp is just so much more professional.
People can preview before they buy.
You can have your artwork displayed, further branding your image.
Your whole discography can be uploaded, becoming an online catalog for your followers.
You can press up physical packages for sale and sell other merchandise like shirts.

It's like the premiere platform for indie artists to present their work.

It looks good and works.

[Green Dutch]

Bandcamp only takes lossless files like .Wav so if someone makes an album all mp3 they wont be able to upload it on there. Thats the only thing I can think of. I use mediafire all the time, but have adblock too. I'd rather dl an album off bandcamp though because it will not infect your shit.

[Chopperman]

downloading stuff takes up a lot of space. No time for mystery meat.

True. Funny you used that term "mystery meat" because getting a computer virus can be similar to getting food poisoning in this way: When you catch food poisoning you don't want to go anywhere near the type of food that you caught it from, and that's how I now feel about mediafire. I was able to fix my computer tho, luckily. Like I said, I was already thinking about buying a new laptop before the infection. I went and picked one up yesterday, another Toshiba Satellite. With it I bought a webroot internet security program at $50 for one year of protection for up to 3 devices. After running it on my new laptop I ran it on the old one and it cleared out the virus, so I now have 2 working computers. Part of me wishes I would have bought the webroot deal first and stuck with the single laptop, but there are some really nice benefits to having 2, such as streaming video on one while working on the other. Also, I'm only putting important files on the new one to keep it clutter-free and moving quick. Its too late to organize my old one but I can use the new one properly from the start, which gives me some extra peace when using it.
Another thing that I recommend having multiple of is mp3 players. I found some selling for $8 and bought 3. They're nice to load and empty and toss around recklessly. Like when I play music at the pizza shop I work at.. As opposed to my phone, I'd much rather leave one of those sitting on the counter next to my portable speaker.

Bandcamp only takes lossless files like .Wav so if someone makes an album all mp3 they wont be able to upload it on there.

Yes, but, as you probably know, its not difficult to convert mp3s to wavs. I just open them in audacity and export as wav.

[noDDy hEAded fREak]

i gotta admit some of the dopest releases ive heard on here were released on mediafire.

But i must agree with OP, bandcamp is just much simpler and more appealing to DL... im starting to just not split up the tape into tracks and just upload it to bandcamp as one..ie, no need to separate each track.

i would probably check out more stuff here if it wasnt on a site i didnt know how to navigate well...