On 7/22/06, Keith Old <keithold(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Almost everyone knows about Wikipedia - the
free-content, web-based
encyclopedia written collaboratively by volunteers. Evidently those
volunteers include a fair share of music fans: you can find a vast store of
musical knowledge here, covering pretty much every base. One noteworthy
aspect of Jimmy Wales' creation is that Wikipedia also contains a vast
reservoir of free sound files.
We have a vast reservoir of free sound files? Who knew?
Because of copyright laws, the site doesn't have
much by contemporary
artists but its classical collection is growing daily. Mozart and Beethoven
are best represented, with more than 20 pieces each. Other composers have
fewer files, and they are in the "Ogg Vorbis" format, which won't play on
an
iPod although they are compatible with most computer players.
Where are we getting these copyright-free recordings from?
Steve