Currently very few independant jazz artists are offering very high quality MP3 files for instant download purchase. I expect that will change soon enough, but for the time being I'm happy to be pioneering what I think is a really good distribution tool for the independant musician. Every track of every one of my CDs has been encoded with LAME using a 160-320kbps VBR setting - widely acknowledged to currently give the best trade-off between transparency and file size, but with the emphasis more on sound quality than file size. The MP3s have an average bit rate of around 205kbps VBR, while the majority of MP3s found on the internet are 128kbps. These Mp3s sound virtually the same as the CD even on audiophile systems. These Mp3s also have no annoying DRM or copy protection built in. You can easily burn these as many times as you want or copy them to your portable Mp3 players without any trouble.

DOWNLOADS

How do I download my MP3's?
You download your MP3 (and artwork if available) simply by clicking on the links sent to your given email moments after successful payment. Please make sure you are using a valid email address when you pay through PayPal. Using an invalid email address, means you cannot receive the PayPal receipt and our download links email. If you did receive the PayPal receipt, but you did not receive our download links email within an hour, please check the topic titled "I did not receive the download links email, who do I contact?" below.

How long are the links valid?
Each link is valid for 36 hours and can be used twice for a complete download. When the file is completely opened by a(n external) program, this will be seen as a complete download, so please prevent this from happening. Instead please make sure to download the file to your hard disk first manually. Progressing downloads will not be interrupted, even when the link expires. If your link expired before you had a chance to use it, please get in touch so we can help you.

I am in another part of the world, does that matter?
If you are reading this page, you can access and use the KVS Instant Download Music Store. It is available to anywhere in the world, whether using an Apple Mac or a Windows based PC. A fast internet connection helps as well.

Can I download these Mp3s if I only have a 56k modem?
Yes, but you should expect it to take longer.

How do I receive the artwork?
You only receive the artwork if you buy a complete album. The artwork is instantly submitted as a link, too. It is a printable pdf file containing high resolution images to standard CD case dimensions.

I did not receive the download links email, who do I contact?
The most common problem when people say they did receive their PayPal receipt, but not the download links email, is that a SPAM filter has filtered out the email. Most "free" email accounts, such as Hotmail, are nowadays using a SPAM filter and these are often rather aggressive. Most of the time when an email is classified as SPAM it is put in a (temporary) folder, where you can still retrieve it. Before you attempt to contact me, please make sure you have checked any such SPAM folder (often accessible via webmail). The email with download links is sent out immediately after the PayPal payment has been confirmed. This should happen within a minute and definitely not take longer than 1 hour. If it did not arrive within the hour and you have not been able to retrieve it from a SPAM folder, please get in touch with me, so I can help you out, by clicking here.

I have a Hotmail account and did not receive the download links email, what went wrong?
Please check the previous topic.

I accidentally paid twice. What do I do now?
Please get in touch with me, so I can refund the double payment.

My download was interrupted and when I click on the link in my email nothing happens?
This appears to be a Internet Explorer bug (possibly in connection with Outlook/Outlook Express). What you need to do is close all Internet Explorer windows, including any Outlook/Outlook Express windows. If you then re-open Outlook/Outlook Express, the links in the email should work again.

How do I download the files using Apple's OS X?
Aparently Apple's OS X uses a download manager and iTunes to play MP3 files. Please prevent these programs from automatically opening the MP3 download. When the file is completely opened, this will be seen as a complete download and you only have one download attempt. Simply download the MP3 file manually and once it's stored on your harddisk, you can open it with any program that supports MP3's, such as iTunes. Note: when downloading the file, the Apple software apparently sometimes changes the file's extension (this could have something to do with long filenames). Please read the next topic for more info on this problem, which some people have experienced.

I have a Mac and my song download shows up as an Excell document?
Aparently when the MP3 file is downloaded on some Mac's, the file extension is "changed". This could be related to long filenames (apparently Apple software doesn't handle that very well). If you experience this problem, please make sure you give the song download a .mp3 extension and then you should be able to open the file using any available MP3-player software.

What happens if I download a file with an error or glitch in the sound?
Please let me know immediately - if there is any problem with a file then I need to replace it as soon as possible. Please email me with a description of the problem and I will get the correct file to you straight away.

What happens if I accidentally delete a song from my hard drive?
Once you have successfully downloaded a track from the KVS Music Store, the transaction is completed and the file becomes your responsibility. Make sure you backup your purchases! There are no restrictions on the number of copies you make for your own use.

MP3 QUALITY

How were these tracks encoded, and at what quality?
All Mp3s are encoded using a high quality VBR setting with a range of 160-320 kbps. This uses Variable Bit Rate encoding, meaning that the bit rate for any given track will vary throughout the duration of the recording. During silence it will a lower rate (much less data required to describe silence) and when the music is extremely complex it will be as high as 320kbps (ensuring no detail is missed). An important issue with VBR is that MP3 players can often be misleading in the way they display the bitrate - most commonly giving an average for the whole track.

Can I listen before I buy?
Of course. Next to each track there is pre-listen button. You can quickly listen to a sample of the track.

Am I previewing the final mp3?
No! The preview button plays a low-quality (and thus quick-loading) version of the final mp3. The previews are either in RealAudio format or a low-rate Mp3. The sound quality of the final downloaded version is far better and to most people indistinguishable from a CD.

PAYMENT METHOD

How do I pay? Is it secure?
All payments to the KVS Instant Download Music Store are done through PayPal, a secure payment service. It's free, simple and fast. All you need is a PayPal account. If you don't have one already, you can sign up within a few simple steps. They accept all major credit cards, but in some countries they also offer direct debit from your (bank) account, which means a credit card is not necessarily required to buy these Mp3s. Please check this list to see if PayPal is available in your country. Signing up to PayPal doesn't cost you any money, so you can always create an account (by clicking here) and see what PayPal options are available to you in your country. When you've received confirmation of your payment by PayPal, you should be receiving an email containing the download links soon. If you did not receive this download links email within an hour, please do not attempt a second purchase, but simply get in touch with me.

How to pay with my bank account?
In order to pay with a debit from your bank account you need to take the following steps:

1. Create an account at PayPal: click here

2. Log in at PayPal and go to your Profile.

3. Click on Bank Accounts (under Financial Information).

4. Add your bank account details
When you've finished adding your bank account go to step 5.

5. Click on Add Funds When you get a message saying that this function is not available, but that you can still use a credit card to add funds, it unfortunately means you cannot pay using your bank account in your country, because it's not yet supported by PayPal and/or the banks in your country.

If you see a "Transfer Funds From a Bank Account in your country" link, please go to step 6.

6. Click on "Transfer Funds From a Bank Account in your country": this allows you to transfer funds from your bank account to your PayPal account using Electronic Funds Transfer. This takes about 3-4 Business days. Unfortunately this is not as fast as using a credit card, which allows you to pay instantly. PayPal.com says a Bank Transfer is free. We have not been able to verify this. Please check with your local bank if this is correct.

7. The steps you need to take to perform such a Bank Transfer are described next by PayPal on their "Add Funds by Bank Transfer" page.

How much money you transfer is up to you. The minimum amount is 1 Euro. Once the money has been transferred into your PayPal account you can use it to buy in any Internet Shop which supports PayPal (PayPal was created for E-bay, so you can also use it there).

Do you collect personal information?
Absolutely not!No. I have no interest in such information. As the payment is done using PayPal, I don't collect or even have access to any info about your accounting. The only thing I keep is your email to inform you about future releases or other special offers. If you have a problem with me keeping your email address, please let us know and I will remove your from my mailinglist.