Index
Encoding MP3 Files
Formatting Images
Uploading Your Releases
Setting Prices
Other Useful Information

Encoding MP3 Files

• Encoding Instructions For PC Users

  This is a good MP3 encoder for PC

  

  Go to: Settings->Encoder
  
  Encoder: Lame MP3 Encoder
  Version: MPEG I
  Bitrate Min: 128kbit
  Bitrate Max: 320kbit
  Mode: Stereo
  Checksum, Original, Copyright
  Quality: Very High Quality (q=0)
  VBR Method: VBR-New
  VBR Quality: VBR 0
  Output Samplerate: 44100

• Encoding Instructions For Mac Users

  While you are welcome to use other programs for ripping (as long as you have the right settings), we recommend MAC users to use LAME plug-in for iTunes. Even if it is a little bit hassle to get it started, the quality is much better (than just using the basic iTunes import settings) but the choice is yours.

  

  LAME plug-in for iTunes (Apple Mac)

  Download and install LAME according to manual. You will then find the plug-in under "Scripts" in the iTunes menu (at the top) under "Import with LAME". By choosing that the plug-in opens. Click on the "Prefs" button an paste the code below (all of it):

  --vbr-new -V0 -b128 -q0 -ms -c -p
  Then you just check the "Use alternate naming convention" box and you are ready to rip with the LAME plug-in. You just click the "Import" button.

Formatting Images

Make JPG or GIF images of all the release sleeves in two sizes (for best result use JPG/PNG-24 for photographic images and GIF/PNG-8 for graphic images):

"release covers" must be 200x200 pixels in GIF, JPG or PNG, and not weigh more than 100KB. "release thumbnails" must be 40x40 pixels in GIF or PNG-8, and not weigh more than 5KB.

Uploading Your Releases

We recommend you to upload your tracks to your Klicktrack FTP home folder on ftp://www.klicktrack.com (use your existing username and password) and then choosing "Use FTP Home Folder" on the Edit Tracks page when adding new releases. This will show a dropdown so you can choose a file from your FTP folder instead of uploading via the web form, which is a slow process, given that you need to upload tracks one at a time, rather than all your albums at once.

Setting Prices

You are free to sell your tracks at whatever price you like. As explained in the overview we sent you, you will receive a full 60% share of the net sales revenue for the tracks you sell, so bear in mind that if you put a track up for sale at US$1.00, you will receive US$0.60. A good idea is to price your tracks slightly lower than you might expect to sell them for on CD. This will attract jazz listeners to the MP3 format and help sustain the sector, as many people think MP3s should be lower in price than that of CDs, as there are fewer costs involved. Bear in mind that "new releases", "rare and exclusive tracks" and "back catalogue tracks" can all be sold at different prices with our system. You can even add your own price groups under "Edit Price Groups" if you don't see the price group you want in the drop down list. Prices are listed in USD (US Dollars), EUR (Euros), GBP (Pound Sterling) and SEK (Swedish Kronor).

Please note: When creating new prices, it is important that you specify the prices like this: "USD 1.50" or "EUR 1.50" etc. Also you need to keep the currencies in the order which is given (i.e. "EUR" for Euros, "USD" for US Dollars, "GBP" for Pounds Sterling and lastly "SEK" for Swedish Kronor.

Other Useful Information

When you are ready to add your releases to the AAJ Download Store (so your label appears online), just check the "Visible" box on the "Shop". Each release also has a "Visible" check box which you click when you have completed uploading and tagging that release. One more thing that's quite important is the "release date". The releases are shown in order of the release dates therefore it is important that these are correct. The release date for a release should be the same (or close to) as the original release date of that release. This way all your releases will be shown in the correct order.

When you have done all above you can login on your "label admin page". Below you will find a link and your login info to your "label admin page". Now you can start uploading MP3s, Images and meta data into the system (just click "releases" and "new release"). The uploading process is quite self explanatory. If you have any questions just e-mail us.

Here's the link to your shop admin page.

When you have logged in we suggest you click the "Shop" link and change your password to something that's your own.