Hey. Been thinking about this for the week and think it is something I’d like to discuss, or share with you guys.
See, ever since I started this “Klassic Note” thing, things have been more advanced, especially the places whom I hear songs from, to where I can actually buy the songs. That somehow explains why CDs from Japan can end up on my shelf here on the equator. But then I noticed the sustainability of such a plan, and have thus decided on another plan which is more cost-effective and with an insurance. Yesh, digital downloads.
PLAN A – DIGITAL DOWNLOADS
You see, iTunes has been a music upload site for many music companies, and strictly abides by laws with its software and charges people who buy the songs. And recently, all the songs I hear from have also made their presence known on the iTunes store, from companies like SonyMusic Japan, Lantis to Victor Entertainment and Starchild and so on. Therefore, I consider it an idea to buy every song I intend to put in my list, so as to assure I have the source when I want to, in the cloud. Problem here is only to sign up for an Apple ID, which is cumbersome and… it’s another account to remember, dammit.
PLAN B – FAVOURITE DISCS ONLY
Or I can just actually stick to my original way of doing things, well this isn’t another plan anyway, just the way I’ve been doing things since I started: Leech it off the Internet and get back on the Internet when I need to. Especially every year when I have to sort out my songs. This, however, has plenty of limitations, including having to wait for it to appear (like I mentioned in the previous post) with the emphasis for songs I intend to hear but never appears in full, and the variations of source types, like file types, bitrates and so on. But I also miss the hard copies of the songs I truly like, and the special stuff like photos, and recently I’ve been able to pre-order them off the official stores. So you see, a plan is actually very crucial, especially when I’m seven years into listening this already…
Here’s a table to compare these two ways of keeping my songs, including financial cost, using last year’s song count as an example:
| DIGITAL DOWNLOADS | FAVOURITE DISCS ONLY | |
| Availability | All available, as long as music company is signed in iTunes | Unless I buy those songs featured in the CDs |
| Waiting Time (in terms of review) | Immediately after date of release of CD | Vary from before the week of release till the end of time? |
| “Songs which I heard previews only?” | “I can just download and listen.” | “I can just wait… and wait…” |
| Preparations | Requires Apple ID and iTunes | CD shopping. Requires an account and procedures to order or even pre-order |
| Backup of sources | Always available in the cloud, in my account | I can download and keep, the rest may become unavailable over time |
| Indie artist songs | Unavailable, even if want and can purchase | May be available if seen on the Net |
| Cost (Considering 2013, 205 songs) | One song = 250yen Total = 250 x 205 = 51250yen = about SGD 626* | Assuming one CD single = 1200yen one CD album = 3000yen, Total = 2 albums x 3000 + 21 singles x 1200 = 31200yen = about SGD 382* |
