Reader Redd writes: “Is there a record pool for out of print or hard to find music in MP3 format? It’s easy enough to find new stuff, but what about older records?”
Digital DJ Tips says: That’s an interesting question, because the is a lot of music that hasn’t been officially digitised and put on sale yet. I personally can think of whole piles of white labels, 12″s and undergrounds bootleg-style tunes from the old skool rave days that I know aren’t available on any MP3 stores.
So what are you to do? Two ideas: You can buy the records or CDs themselves and rip them for your own purposes (there are links to articles on ripping vinyl and CDs at the end of this piece), or you can subscribe to a service like Spotify, because they’re actively scouring the world of music and adding tens of thousands of back catalogue tunes every week, and you can buy most of the stuff you can stream from Spotify.
But in direct answer to your question? No – I don’t know of a record pool or service specifically dedicated to finding old or hard-to-find / out-of-print music. Maybe the readers can help…
So – over to you. Where do you get such stuff from? Do you rip your own? Have you found a service online that’s good for your particular niche? Let us know in the comments.
Phil Morse
