When and How To Make Copies of Your Music K-8 CD - A Primer

Submitted by Paul Jennings, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Idea posted August 18, 2004

In almost every issue we tell you about what you can do legally with our printed materials, and occasionally we have made suggestions about what you could do with cassettes. With the prevalence of CD burners in almost every computer, we thought it was time to let you know what you can do legally with Music K-8 CDs and your own CD-Rs.

What's legal? - You can do just about anything you like as long as you own the CD, and if you are the one using the copy. It is not legal to make copies for other people (without permission), including your students. If it is a school subscription and there are two teachers, you can also make a copy for the other teacher in that school for your convenience.

Back-ups - First of all, we encourage you to make a back-up copy of your CD soon after you get it. Keep in mind that copies seldom work quite as well as the original, and with CD-Rs you get what you pay for. There are some pretty bad ones out there and some great ones. Also remember that CD-Rs are a totally different type of CD than the manufactured ones we send you. They do not play in all CD players, especially older ones.

Specialty CDs - Some teachers make a separate CD for every song they are teaching for greater flexibility. It is also very handy to make a custom CD that features all of the Music K-8 songs in a concert to make it easier to use in performance and rehearsal. You can even make rehearsal CDs for your performers as long as you are still the owner and get them back after the performance.

It's easy to burn! - Newer computers almost all have CD burners built in. With Macs running System X and later, the ability to make CDs is built into the system software. Just drag the tunes from your Music K-8 CD into a new folder, insert a CD-R, and follow instructions. If you want more custom options, try Roxio's Toast or Toast with Jam. These may be needed for Macs running earlier systems, too.

For burning tracks on a PC, there are several free downloadable applications that are readily available. Windows Media Player 9, WinAmp 5, MusicMatch, and RealOne Player will all work on machines with at least 64 megabytes of RAM, running system 98SE, or better. System 98 and before, should use Media Player 7. All will allow you to make playlists from your CD collections, and then burn the CD. While free, each offers upgrades for a nominal fee.

Care & Handling - Only write on the front side of CD-Rs and only with a permanent marker. When holding any CD don't touch the flat surface. Hold it with fingers through the center and at the edge.