Latvian Music in MP3 Format
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by Andris Straumanis <andris_N@N_bitstream.net>

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Once you have the software installed, it's time to go in search of Latvian music. Unfortunately, you won't find a Latvian MP3 megasite similar to the popular California-based MP3.com <http://www.mp3.com>, but if your musical tastes include electronica and folk music, at least a couple of sites offer a good selection of files.

More than 40 different recordings of Latvian folk songs, performed by ensembles from throughout Latvia, are available through the Riga-based folklora.lt Web site's listing <http://folklora.lt/kopas/> of groups or direct from the FTP server <ftp://folklora.lt/pub/mp3/>.

Webmaster Ansis Ataols Berzins tells us it's not difficult to create, or "rip," MP3 files, although one does need the right equipment and software to be able to take audio recordings of the various folk groups and convert them to digital format. And even though MP3 is lauded for its sound quality compared to other formats, Berzins reminds us, "A compressed format is a compressed format. Some loss of quality is bound to occur." Still, it often is difficult to discern differences between the original recording and a well-done MP3 file.

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