Downloading and Technical Questions
General Downloading Questions:
Technical Questions:
If you are using the eMusic Download Manager 5:
- How do I know I am using the eMusic Download Manager 5?
- I am having problems downloading or installing the Download Manager 5 software.
- What do I do with the EMX files I’m prompted about when I try to download?
- How do I resolve the “Download Error” I get when I download files?
- Is there a Linux version of the eMusic Download Manager 5 available?
- How can I download tracks that did not download correctly or appear to be suspended in a “Queued” state?
- How do I set my downloads to automatically sync with my preferred media player using Download Manager 5?
- What do I do if the tracks or albums don’t sync with my media player?
- What is the retry button I am seeing on Download Manager 5?
- How do I remove errored tracks in the Download Manager 5?
- How do I find where my files are saved?
- What do I do when I see the expired status in the Download Manager 5?
- What do I do if I am having other issues with the Download manager 5 that are not listed here?
If you are using the eMusic Download Manager 4:
- How do I know I am using the eMusic Download Manager 4?
- I am having problems downloading or installing the Download Manager 4 software.
- What do I do with the EMX files I’m prompted about when I try to download?
- How do I resolve the “Download Error” I get when I download files?
- Is there a Linux version of the eMusic Download Manager 4 available?
- How can I download tracks that did not download correctly or appear to be suspended in a “Queued” state?
- How do I set my downloads to automatically sync with my preferred media player using Download Manager 4?
- What do I do when I see the expired status in the Download Manager 4?
General Downloading Questions and Answers:
Q: Can you explain what the different track and album download buttons mean?
A: Sure. Here’s all the buttons you’ll see and what they mean.
Track Download buttons:
The track price will be debited from your account.
You will not be charged for this track.
Re-purchase a previously downloaded track. The track price will be debited from your account.
You will see this button if we detect that a track has failed to download completely. Click to retry your download without charge.
Album download buttons:
The album price will be debited from your account.
You will not be charged for this album.
Re-purchase a previously downloaded album. The album price will be debited from your account.
Complete my album download. You will see this button if you have downloaded some tracks from an album, but not the entire album. The cost to complete the album purchase will be relative to how many individual tracks had been purchased from that album.
You will see this button if we detect that an album has failed to download completely. Click to retry your download without charge.
Q: Does eMusic allow re-downloads?
A: eMusic’s policy on re-downloads remains the same: members who experience a technical problem while downloading a track or album will be able to retry the download free of charge.
Retry track
Retry album
After a successful download, the button will change to these buttons:
Track button
Album button
Members can click it to request an additional download but will be charged for it. In the event you are unable to complete a download due to a technical problem, please contact eMusic Member Services for assistance.
If you want to get a copy of a song onto two different computers, one at work and one at home, for example, you’ll need to do this manually, with a USB flash drive or other method to avoid being charged again. As always, we recommend you back up your downloads regularly.
Q: What happens if the song I downloaded doesn’t play correctly or is corrupted?
A: Occasionally we receive files from our label partners that are corrupted. If a song you purchased downloaded but won’t play correctly, please report the track as defective by clicking the link below the track list on the album page. You can then request a credit for that defective track by contacting eMusic Member Services.
Q: Do I need JavaScript to download tracks on eMusic?
A: You can download tracks and use eMusic without enabling JavaScript. However we highly recommend enabling JavaScript because it is used by your web browser for several important features on eMusic including the Download Manager, which enables one-click full album downloads. JavaScript is also used to show album pricing and it makes ratings, Save-for-Later and other features easier to use.
Safari users:
Go to Safari preferences
Click on Security
Check that JavaScript is enabled.
Firefox users:
Go to Firefox preferences
Click on Content
Check that JavaScript is enabled
Internet Explorer users:
Go to “Tools | Internet Options…” from the main menu
Change to the “Security” tab
Select “Custom” and click on the “Settings…” button
Make sure “Enable” is selected under “Active scripting”
Restart the browser
Technical Questions and Answers:
Q: I am getting a “download error”.
A. Please check that your firewall settings are set to allow the eMusic Download Manager to download files.
Q: How do I transfer tracks to my MP3 player?
A: There are two steps to getting music onto your player:
- 1. Download/sync MP3 files with your music-playing program (i.e. iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp).
- 2. Sync your music software with your player. This places the music files onto your player.
The first step is best accomplished with the eMusic Download Manager. Once you’ve synced your files with your music-playing program (make sure you enable the eMusic Download Manager to do this automatically* when you install) it’s just a matter of connecting your player to your computer and syncing as you normally would. If you’re using a player for the first time consult your device instructions for help.
If you haven’t installed the Download Manager you can download it here.
* Auto-synch only works with the 4.0 or later version of the eMusic Download Manager.
All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners, none of whom is a partner or sponsor of eMusic.
Q: Which operating systems will work with eMusic?
A: eMusic will work with the following operating systems:
- Windows 7
- Windows Vista
- Windows XP
- Mac OS 10.7 Lion
- Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard
- Mac OS 10.5 Leopard
While Mac OS 10.4 and Linux will work with eMusic, technical support is not available from eMusic Member Services. Other operating systems may work with eMusic but eMusic cannot offer support for them.
All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners, none of whom is a partner or sponsor of eMusic.
Q: How do I listen to eMusic’s music or book samples?
A: To hear a 30-second sound sample just click on one of the play button arrow images found throughout eMusic. If you are using one of eMusic’s supported browsers and you have Adobe Flash Player installed, you can stream sound samples directly from eMusic without opening your default media player (i.e. iTunes, Winamp, Windows Media Player). If you do not have the latest version of Flash, or are using an unsupported browser, song samples will play through your default media player. To hear all of the samples for a particular album, click this icon: 
If you are having trouble listening to sound samples, try re-installing Adobe Flash Player version 9.
All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners, none of whom is a partner or sponsor of eMusic.
Q: How do I download a track from eMusic?
A: To download a track from eMusic, please follow these basic steps:
- 1. Download and install the Download Manager
After installation you should see a ‘My eMusic’ folder on your desktop (or the location you specified during installation). This is where your downloaded music and audiobooks will be saved.
- 2. Log in at eMusic.
You’ll need to use the email address you used to register with eMusic.
- 3. Download music from any album page by clicking on the download buttons for individual tracks: .
- Click the Download Album button: if you want to download the complete album.
The eMusic Download Manager will handle downloading and syncing to your media player*.
* Auto-synch only works with the 4.0 or later version of the eMusic Download Manager.
Q: How long should it take to download a track?
A: Users with high-speed Internet connections should experience download times of less than a minute for an average length track. Downloading a 3-minute track on a 56.6 modem should take about 7-8 minutes.
Please note that download speeds will vary depending upon any number of factors including your Internet service provider and the amount of network traffic.
Q: How do I download an entire album in one click?
A: The Download Manager is required to download albums with one click.
If you do not see a “Download Album” button: on album pages, check that you have the Download Manager enabled.
To enable the eMusic Download Manager:
- 1. Login to your eMusic account and visit the Downloads and Streaming preferences section
- 2. Click the button marked “Enable Download Manager.”
Q: What is a bitrate? What bitrate are eMusic’s MP3s encoded at?
A: Bitrate is the number of bits per second used in the encoding process. A higher bitrate (a.k.a encoding rate) usually means a larger size file and higher quality sound. eMusic utilizes LAME encoder, version 3.98.2 at VBR (Variable Bit Rate), alt preset extreme. VBR preset extreme uses an average bit rate of 256kbps, which offers quality comparable to 320 CBR (Constant Bit Rate). Older tracks are encoded at VBR standard (averaging around 192kbps) and you may find a few legacy files encoded at 128kps, these tracks are clearly marked.
VBR audio compression encodes complex sections of a track at higher rates while simpler portions are encoded at lower rates. Constant bit rate encoding uses a fixed rate. VBR offers the best possible sound quality with the smallest possible file size.
Q: How much hard drive space does an MP3 take up?
A: Typically, one minute of music is equal to 1 megabyte (MB) on your computer’s hard drive.
Q: What happens in the event of technical errors when downloading an album or tracks?
A: When a track or album you have purchased fails to download due to a technical problem, you can retry the download for free. Go to the album page and click the yellow ‘retry’ button. If the retry button is not visible, it means our system has delivered the download so it may just be a matter of locating the file on your system. Check your ‘My eMusic’ folder on your desktop. This is where your downloaded music and audiobooks will appear. We’re continuously improving the reliability of downloading and are hard at work on a new version of the Download Manager.
Q: What happens if the song I downloaded doesn’t play correctly or is corrupted?
A: Occasionally we receive files from our label partners that are corrupted. If a song you purchased downloaded, but won’t play correctly, please report the track as defective by clicking the link below the track list on the album page.
Q: What should I do if there is a quality issue with a track I’ve downloaded?
A: We make every effort to ensure that our recordings are of the highest quality, but occasionally a ‘bad’ track or encoding errors happen. If you find a problem track please let us know. There’s a link to report bad tracks at the bottom of every album download module:
Sometimes a network, or technical issue may prevent you from successfully completing the download of a track. When a song you have purchased fails to download completely, you can retry the download by visiting the album page – you’ll see a “retry” button .
If the retry download button is not visible, it means our system has successfully delivered the download so it may just be a matter of locating the file on your system. Check your ‘My eMusic’ folder on your desktop. This is where your downloaded music and audiobooks will appear. If a song you purchased downloaded, but won’t play correctly, please report the track as defective by clicking the link below the track list on the album page. In the event you are unable to complete a download due to a technical problem, please contact eMusic Member Services for assistance.
Q: I am having trouble logging in to eMusic.com.
A: Please read the list of suggestions below, make any required changes and try logging in again. If you continue to have trouble please contact eMusic Member Services.
Make sure you are using the correct email address and password for your eMusic account. Please also note that passwords are case sensitive. For example, using “A” is different than using “a”.
Make sure that the date and time on your computer are correct.
If you are running Windows, make sure that cookies are enabled for emusic.com:
1-Go to Start, then Control Panel
2-Select Internet Options. If you see a screen that says Network and Internet Connections, click that link and then select Internet Options
3-From the Internet Options screen, select the tab marked Privacy
4-Click the button marked Sites
5-Under Address of Web site type emusic.com and click Allow
6-Hit OK at the bottom of the window and close out the rest of the open windows by hitting OK
Exit your Web browser program and then re-launch it. You may also need to clear your Temporary Internet files before attempting to log in again.
If you are using firewall software such as ZoneAlarm or Norton Internet Security make sure the program is set to allow cookies from emusic.com.
If you are not sure what your email address or password may be, please click here for steps to reset your password.
All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners, none of whom is a partner or sponsor of eMusic.
Q: Which Internet browsers does eMusic support?
A:
- Internet Explorer 9.0 for Windows
- Internet Explorer 8.0 for Windows
- Internet Explorer 7.0 for Windows
- Firefox 10.0 for Windows and Mac
- Firefox 9.0 for Windows and Mac
- Firefox 8.0 for Windows and Mac
- Firefox 7.0 for Windows and Mac
- Firefox 6.0 for Windows and Mac
- Safari 4.0 and higher for Macintosh
- Google Chrome 10 and higher for Windows and Mac
We offer limited support for the following browsers:
- Opera 9.0+ for Windows
- Safari 3+ for Windows
- Safari 3 for Macintosh
All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners, none of whom is a partner or sponsor of eMusic.
Q: How do I transfer my files to my cell phone?
A: Your downloads are saved to the ‘My eMusic’ folder on your desktop by default (you can specify another location when you install the eMusic Download Manager). Your telecommunications provider or handset help manual should have specific instructions on how to upload the MP3 files onto your device.
Download Manager 5 Questions and Answers:
Q: How do I know I am using the eMusic Download Manager 5?
A:
On Windows:
- Open the eMusic Download Manager Program
- Click on ‘Help’
- Select ‘About eMusic Download Manager’
On Mac:
- Open the eMusic Download Manager Program
- Click on the ‘eMusic Download Manager’ text in the upper left hand corner
- Select ‘About eMusic Download Manager’
You’ll see a pop up box that will show you what version of the eMusic Download Manager you are using.
Q: I am having problems downloading or installing the Download Manager 5 software.
A: The eMusic Download Manager installation file may be incomplete or corrupted. Please delete the installation file (usually found on your desktop). Re-download the file and attempt your installation again. After a successful installation you will see a ‘My eMusic’ folder on your computer’s desktop.
Q: What do I do with the EMX files I’m prompted about when I try to download?
A: If you are seeing EMX files when download, check that your eMusic Download Manager 5 is working properly
Windows Users If you have already downloaded and installed the eMusic Download Manager 5 and are getting EMX files when you download try these steps:
Right-click on the EMX File.
Choose “Open With…”
Select “Choose Program…”
Select eMusic Download Manager from the list of programs.
Check the box to “Always open this type of file with this program.”
Select OK.
Try again to play your track.
Mac Users If you have already downloaded and installed the eMusic Download Manager 5 but you get EMX files when you download, try these steps:
1. Control-click (or right-click) on the EMX file on your desktop. A menu will appear.
2. Choose “Get Info”. The information window will appear.
3. Under the “Open With:” section, select eMusic Download Manager from the drop down menu and click on the “Change All…” button to set the eMusic Download Manager 5 to manage your downloads.
4. Please try your download again. You will not be charged for any re-downloads.
:
Q: How do I resolve the “Download Error” I am seeing when I download files?
A: That message usually means firewall settings are preventing the eMusic Download Manager 5 from downloading files. Check your firewall settings to ensure that the eMusic Download Manager 5 is given permission to download.
Q: Is there a Linux version of the eMusic Download Manager 5 available?
A: At this time, we do not have a Linux version of the eMusic Download Manager 5. However, one of our members created a Java based Download Manager that does have a Linux version. You can get that here.
All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners, none of whom is a partner or sponsor of eMusic.
Q: How can I download tracks that did not download correctly or appear to be suspended in a “Queued” state?
A: If you are using eMusic Download Manager 5, please try the following steps:
- 1. Select Pause All and then Resume All within the eMusic Download Manager 5.
- 2. If you have a firewall check that it is set to allow downloads via the eMusic Download Manager 5.
- 3. Confirm the path you are saving to is correct:
For Mac users: select Preferences, and then the General Tab
For PC users: select “File”, “Settings” and then the “General” tab - 4. If you are using an external drive please make sure that the drive letter matches the one in this download path.
If the track in question has not downloaded, you can “retry” the download by visiting the album page – you’ll see a “retry” button. In the event you are unable to complete a download due to a technical problem, please contact eMusic Member Services for assistance.
Q: How do I set my downloads to automatically sync with my preferred media player using the Download Manager 5?
A: The Download Manager 5 is easily configured to automatically sync your downloads:
- Open the Download Manager
- Click on “File”
- Select “Settings”
- Click on “Syncing”
- Choose your preferred media player from the options shown
Q: What do I do if the tracks or albums don’t sync with my media player?
A: If something interrupts the syncing of your tracks, prior to hitting the “reSync” button in the Download Manager 5 please make sure to close all dialog boxes associated with your media player and then hit this button.
Q: What is the retry button I am seeing on Download Manager 5?
A: When our system detects a problem with a download, you will see a blue Retry option in the top panel of the Download manager. You just need to click on this button to retry the track at no additional charge.
If this does not resolve your issue, please contact eMusic Member Services.
Q: How do I remove “errored” tracks in the Download Manager 5?
A: Open the Download Manager 5 and right click (Ctrl click on MAC) on the track and select “Stop Task”
Q: How do I find where my files are saved?
A: Open the Download Manager 5 and right click (Ctrl click on MAC) on the track and select “Show in Folder”
Q: What do I do when I see the expired status in the Download Manager 5?
A: The expired status means that the tracks or albums did not download within 24 hours from the time you requested them. Please contact eMusic Member Services.
Q: What do I do if I am having other issues with the Download manager 5 that are not listed here?
A: If you are consistently getting Download Errors, not getting tracks on Retry or the Download Manager keeps crashing please contact eMusic Member Services.
Download Manager 4 Questions and Answers:
Q: How do I know I am using the eMusic Download Manager 4?
A:
On Windows:
- Open the eMusic Download Manager Program
- Click on ‘Help’
- Select ‘About eMusic Download Manager’
On Mac:
- Open the eMusic Download Manager Program
- Click on the ‘eMusic Download Manager’ text in the upper left hand corner
- Select ‘About eMusic Download Manager’
You’ll see a pop up box that will show you what version of the eMusic Download Manager you are using.
Q: I am having problems downloading or installing the Download Manager 4 software.
A: The eMusic Download Manager 4 installation file may be incomplete or corrupted. Please delete the installation file (usually found on your desktop). Re-download the file and attempt your installation again. After a successful installation you will see a ‘My eMusic’ folder on your computer’s desktop.
Q: What do I do with the EMX files I’m prompted about when I try to download?
A: If you are seeing EMX files when download, check that your eMusic Download Manager 4 is working properly:
- Windows Users If you have already downloaded and installed the eMusic Download Manager 4 and are getting EMX files when you download try these steps:
- Right-click on the EMX File.
- Choose “Open With…”
- Select “Choose Program…”
- Select eMusic Download Manager 4 from the list of programs.
- Check the box to “Always open this type of file with this program.”
- Select OK.
- Try again to play your track.
- Mac Users If you have already downloaded and installed the eMusic Download Manager 4 but you get EMX files when you download, try these steps:
- 1. Control-click (or right-click) on the EMX file on your desktop. A menu will appear.
- 2. Choose “Get Info”. The information window will appear.
- 3. Under the “Open With:” section, select eMusic Download Manager from the drop down menu and click on the “Change All…” button to set the eMusic Download Manager 4 to manage your downloads.
- 4. Please try your download again. You will not be charged for any re-downloads.
Q: How do I resolve the “Download Error” I am seeing when I download files?
A: That message usually means firewall settings are preventing the eMusic Download Manager 4 from downloading files. Check your firewall settings to ensure that the eMusic Download Manager 4 is given permission to download.
Q: Is there a Linux version of the eMusic Download Manager 4 available?
A: A Linux version of the eMusic Download Manager 4 is available. However, development has been discontinued and we are not able to provide technical support for this product.
All third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners, none of whom is a partner or sponsor of eMusic.
Q: How can I download tracks that did not download correctly or appear to be suspended in a “Queued” state?
A: If you are using eMusic Download Manager 4, please try the following steps:
- 1. Select Pause All and then Resume All within the eMusic Download Manager 4.
- 2. If you have a firewall check that it is set to allow downloads via the eMusic Download Manager 4.
- 3. Confirm the path you are saving to is correct:
For Mac users: select Preferences or Clicking Apple +, and in the General Tab
For PC users: select Tools-options and in the general tab - 4. If you are using an external drive please make sure that the drive letter matches the one in this download path.
If the track in question has not downloaded, you can “retry” the download by visiting the album page – you’ll see a “retry” button. In the event you are unable to complete a download due to a technical problem, please contact eMusic Member Services for assistance.
Q: How do I set my downloads to automatically sync with my preferred media player using Download Manager 4?
A: The Download Manager 4 is easily configured to automatically sync your downloads:
- Open the Download Manager
- Click on “View” tab
- Click on the “Media Sync Options”
- Choose your preferred media player from the options shown
Q: What do I do when I see the expired status in the Download Manager 4?
A: The expired status means that the tracks or albums did not download within 24 hours from the time you requested them. Please contact eMusic Member Services.