How to Download Music to Send By Email (12 Steps)
By Eirik Ott
The advent of digital music files revolutionized the music industry. With such files, you can make perfect copies of your favorite songs, which can be easily purchased and downloaded from websites. Because of their relatively small size--anywhere from 1 megabyte to 10 megabytes per song depending on the length and sound quality--digital music files can easily be attached to emails that can be shared.
iTunes Music Store
Step 1
Open your Web browser and surf to Apple.com/itunes. Click on the "Free download" button and follow the instructions to install the latest version of iTunes onto your computer. The program will work on both PCs and Macs.
Step 2
Open iTunes and click on the "iTunes Store" link in the column to the left of the main iTunes Library window. The link is just beneath the "Store" header. Clicking on this link will open a connection to Apple Computer iTunes Music Store.
Step 3
Browse through the artists and types of music available for download on the iTunes Music Store and sample tracks from album and collections until you find music you would like to buy. Click on the "Buy" button to the right of the song you would like to purchase, and the download process will begin.
Step 4
Open your email program or access your Web-based email account, begin drafting a new email message and then attach the digital audio file to the email. This can often be done by clicking a button marked "Attach" within your email program or Web-based service and using the accompanying search window that pops up to find your digital audio file. Once the file is attached to the email, simply send the email, and the file will accompany it.
Amazon
Step 1
Open your Web browser and surf to Amazon.com. Hover your mouse cursor over the "Digital Downloads" link in the list of links in the upper left-hand corner of the website, and then choose "MP3 Downloads" from the list of choices that appears.
Step 2
Browse music choices by clicking on categories listed in the column along the left side of the page, or search for specific titles or artists by entering a name in the search window near the top of the page (just to the left of the orange "Go" button).
Step 3
Click on the "Buy MP3" button next to the track you would like to purchase to begin the downloading process. If you would like to download an entire album of songs, click on the orange "Buy MP3 album with 1-Click" button to the right of the album art.
Step 4
Follow the instructions in Step 4 of Section 1 to attach the file to an email.
Amie Street
Step 1
Open your Web browser and surf to Amiestreet.com. Click on the "Join Now for Free" button to begin the no-cost process of becoming a member of Amie Street. This will allow a user to purchase tracks from the website.
Step 2
Browse the website to find a music track you would like to download by hovering your mouse over the "Browse Music" link near the top of the website, and then choose the style of music you would like to browse by clicking it in the pop-up list that appears. Search for specific artists by entering their names into the field near the top of the website on the right-hand side. The field is pre-filled with the phrase "Find Music ..."
Step 3
Click on the blue "Buy Song" button to the right of the song. You will be directed to a new screen to arrange payment. The minimum order on Amie Street is $3, so you can keep adding songs until you reach that amount, or you can allow the balance to be saved on the site for future purchases.
Step 4
Follow the instructions in Step 4 of Section 1 to attach the file to an email.
References
Tips
- Users of the iTunes Music Store should be aware that music tracks purchased can only be used on computers authorized by the original purchaser, who can allow up to five different computers access to the original account. If a music track is emailed to someone else, he must also be told the authorization code that will allow him to play the track.
Warnings
- There are countless peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks that allow users to download audio tracks at no cost, but doing so could run afoul of the "fair use" rules of the U.S. Copyright Office. Downloading or distributing copyrighted audio files via email or P2P networks without permission from the copyright holder is illegal and punishable by steep fines or even jail times, so familiarize yourself with the laws before doing so.
Writer Bio
Eirik Ott is a professional performance poet, freelance writer, graphic designer, Apple Computer enthusiast and photographer. Since graduating from Chico State University with a degree in journalism in 2000, he has written for newspapers and magazines such as "The Reno Gazette-Journal," "The Austin American-Statesman," "Bust Magazine" and "Poets & Writers Magazine." He is based in Austin, Texas.