Artist Downloads FAQs

FAST ATMOSPHERE ARTIST DOWNLOADS OVERVIEW

COMMON QUESTIONS

LINKS TO RELEVANT SOFTWARE

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FAST ATMOSPHERE ARTIST DOWNLOADS OVERVIEW

What exactly are Fast Atmosphere Artist Downloads?
Fast Atmosphere Artist Downloads are high-quality digital music files of mastered studio recordings or soundboard recordings of live shows, provided directly from the artists with whom we work. This service is a collaborative effort between individual artists and Fast Atmosphere and was created to provide a convenient way for you to purchase and download music directly to your computer. Central to the philosophy behind this service is the support of participating musicians who benefit directly from your purchase of their music.

What is included in a purchase of Fast Atmosphere Artist Downloads?
Once we have received your payment, the digital file(s) you've purchased will be made available right away for download. If you'd like to burn your downloads to a compact disc, we will include at no extra charge, color artwork for CD labels and jewel case booklets. Artwork is formatted to use NEATO templates. NEATO CD labels and booklets are available at most retailers or directly from Neato at www.neato.com. Please note that some artists have chosen to not provide CD artwork. On individual download web pages you'll find that we state if the download does come with artwork.

What are MP3 and FLAC formats and how do they differ?
Fast Atmosphere Artist Downloads are provided in two of the most popular audio formats used by the online music community: MP3 and FLAC. Both formats will work with your computer's audio and CD authoring software. We've provided links to the most widely used software here. Our MP3 files are encoded at 160 kbps 44Mhz (which is close to CD quality). MP3 files are widely supported and are the most convenient for quick download, burning to CD, or transferring to portable players. Keep in mind that MP3 files are compressed so some audio quality is lost from the original digital master recording.

We also provide downloads in the superior quality FLAC format which uses a "lossless" compression. Using this format, no audio information is lost from the original recording using FLAC compression. FLAC files are extracted to WAV files, which sound identical to the digital master recording (recorded at 44.1 kHz, 16 bit stereo). FLAC files are much larger in size meaning increased download time, as well as more disc space required on your computer's hard drive where the files will be saved. PC running Nero CD Burning software with the FLAC plug in can burn FLAC files to CD. Mac OS X users will have to extract FLAC to AIFF format in order to burn to CD or to listen to the files on their computer. FLAC files can be played (without extraction to WAV) with a free FLAC plug-in for the Winamp player (PC).

Before making a purchase of a download in either the MP3 or FLAC format, we strongly recommend checking compatibility with your audio software. There is currently no FLAC software available for Mac OSs prior to OS X.

Why is FLAC more expensive than MP3?
FLAC files are many times larger than the same file encoded for MP3. The hosting and bandwidth costs associated with making FLAC files available for download over the Internet are therefore significantly greater. Please keep in mind that FLAC files offer superior quality over MP3 files.

Why should I pay when I can download the music for free on the Internet?
There are several answers to this question. First and foremost is that you are directly supporting the artist by purchasing music from our site. The music we offer has been handpicked by the artist from their archives based, in part, on the quality of the artist's performance and the recording of the show. The live concert performances, which you may have attended, were recorded directly from the soundboard and are available only through our site. In addition to live recordings, there will be exclusive studio recordings that were professionally recorded and mastered.

I use a dial-up modem for Internet access. Do I need a faster connection?
You can download music from Fast Atmosphere Artist Downloads using any Internet connection. The faster your connection, the less time it will take to download the music you've selected. We strongly recommend that dial-up users avoid FLAC files due to the amount of time it will take to download these large files using a dial-up connection.

How often will new downloads be made available?
We will offer new downloads as frequently as possible. The artists we work with ultimately decide when new downloads will be made available. You can join our mailing list to be notified when new downloads by your favorite artists are available.

Can I make copies of downloads that I purchase?
The files you download may be burned to CD or copied to your portable player strictly for your personal use. In accordance with the Terms of Use Agreement, under no circumstances may you make additional copies for other people. Making additional copies and/or distributing copies of this digital music to others not only violates our Terms of Use Agreement but also infringes upon the copyright and related intellectual property rights of the artists. We ask that you do not abuse or misuse the unrestricted nature of the files you purchase from us. Please respect the artists' willingness to provide you with the convenience of downloading exclusive and high-quality music. The success of this service and the involvement of the participating artists rely directly upon your promise to adhere to the rules.

Can I get a refund?
No refunds can be made, as all sales are final. Due to the nature of our distribution methods and the artist's willingness to offer downloads with no technical restrictions, we are unable to offer refunds on your purchase. All purchases made from Fast Atmosphere Artist Downloads are subject to our Terms of Use.


COMMON QUESTIONS

When I buy music, when and how can I download it?
Following completion of your order the music you've purchase will be made available for immediate download. Links for each file will be displayed on screen above your invoice. Links will also be sent to the email address you've submitted. Simply click on the links and your download will begin. You may download your music right away or at a later time. Please note that once you have downloaded your music the links in your order will expire and will no longer be available.

Why am I getting the message 'This download has expired or is no longer valid'?
Unique download links are generated for each file included in your order. These links will expire after the files you purchased have been downloaded. This message indicates that you have completed downloading the files you have purchased. If you believe you've received this message in error please email us at downloads@fastatmosphere.com. Include a copy of your order and an explanation of the problem.

I'm on a Mac and when I click on the song links, they don't download to iTunes, they just play in quicktime.
Hold down the Control <CTRL> key when clicking on the links and select "Save" from the menu, saving the mp3s to your iTunes folder.

What if my downloads won't play?
It is possible that your Internet connection may reset when downloading large files resulting in incomplete or corrupted files. If your audio software is unable to recognize or play files you have downloaded please email us at downloads@fastatmosphere.com. Include a copy of your order and a description of the problem.

I'm not familiar with FLAC files, how do I listen to them?
FLAC files are the highest quality downloads we offer. For more information on FLAC files click here. To play FLAC files Windows users can use the free FLAC plug in for Winamp, which is available with the free FLAC Front-End application. With the FLAC plug in installed, simply open or drag/drop your FLAC files with WinAmp. There is currently no FLAC support for Mac OSs prior to OSX. Mac OSX users can use MacAmplite (1.5b) to play FLAC files.

Why aren't downloads staying in my shopping cart?
Make sure you have cookies enabled for FASTATMOSPHERE.COM. If you continue to have problems, please contact us at downloads@fastatmosphere.com.

I downloaded my files but I can't find them on my computer. Where'd they go?
When saving your files make sure you make note of where on your computer you are saving them.

How do I burn my downloads to CD?
MP3
If your CD player can play MP3 files, simply burn a data CD of your MP3 files. To play your downloads on most CD players you will need to burn an audio CD using the MP3 files. Follow the instructions for your CD burning software on how to create an audio CD. If you are burning a CD of live music, make sure to use the Disc-At-Once (DAO) option or set number of seconds between tracks to ZERO to remove any gaps between tracks.
FLAC
Using free FLAC software, convert each FLAC file to a WAV file. First make sure your CD burning software supports burning WAV files. When burning a CD of live music make sure to use the Disc-At-Once (DAO) option.

I burned a CD of my MP3s and there is a small 'gap' between tracks. What can I do?
There is a 20 millisecond "space" at the beginning of all MP3 files. This is inherent to the format and there is nothing that can be done to remove it. To avoid this brief but annoying gap between tracks when burned to a CD (live shows especially) we recommend the FLAC format, which has no "space" at the beginning of the file.


SOFTWARE

FLAC
FLAC installers for Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux
Stand-Alone FLAC Plug-in for Nero (Windows)

CD BURNING SOFTWARE
Nero (Windows)
iTunes (Mac)

MP3 PLAYERS SOFTWARE
Winamp (Windows)
iTunes (Mac)

ARTWORK TEMPLATES
Neato

Need help with something not covered here? Email us at downloads@fastatmosphere.com.

© 2005 FAST ATMOSPHERE LLC - INTERNET SOLUTIONS FOR MUSIC - SAN FRANCISCO, CA