MP3 Quality

The songs on MAQAM® MP3 are studio-mastered and encoded using a constant bit rate of at least 320 KB for the highest sound quality possible. This allows us to preserve the original sound quality while providing the highest standard in digital music.

Most commercial digital music services use computer encoding that eliminates pieces of the music that the software decides are not important in favor of pre-determined smaller file sizes. For example, the software may determine that the violin track layer of the song is unimportant and thus remove it. Other services use variable encoding in which, again, software decides which pieces of the music are important and which are not (based on programmed specifications) to provide songs with a pre-determined file size. For example, the software may determine that the beginning of the song is more "important" and thus keep more of the sound layers at the start and sacrifice the sound layers in the middle or at the end of the song. In both cases, the end result is nothing like the original music or what the artists intended when recording their songs.

MAQAM® MP3 songs are studio-mastered and encoded using a constant bit rate, meaning the songs you buy retain all of their original components (all instruments, arrangements, vocals, etc.) and are exactly how the music was originally recorded. This does mean that the songs do not adhere to a pre-determined file size and are in general larger files; however our goal is to preserve and provide the original music, not a computer-generated facsimile.

MAQAM® MP3 songs are also DRM-free so you are free to use the music any way you want (within the acceptable uses as defined by the Terms of Use – Please see USE OF MUSIC FROM MAQAM® MP3 for more details). Digital Rights Management (DRM) software is a technology designed to restrict how the music can be downloaded, played, accessed, etc. DRM-free means that songs from MAQAM® MP3 do not have any such restrictive software.

Please keep in mind that many of our recordings are historical records and may have what today might be termed as minor sound "imperfections". However, these variations are part of the history of the music and the golden era of achievements in art, music, and performance. Arabic and Middle Eastern music is our culture, our history, and our heritage so preserving the music and providing it to music lovers worldwide at the highest quality possible is both a mission and a duty.

MP3 Size & Download

To provide the music in the highest quality possible, the file sizes are larger than a typical commercial music download service. The average five (5) minute song is 10-12 MB and using a high speed internet connection (such as cable modem or a typical broadband connection) can be downloaded in approximately 30-45 seconds. Using a low speed internet connection, the same download may take up to twenty to thirty (20-30) minutes.

Many classic songs are much longer and thus require longer download times as well as larger storage space on your computer or portable device. The average forty-five (45) minute classic song (such as an Oum Kalthoum song) is 90-100 MB and using a high speed internet connection (such as cable modem or a typical broadband connection) can be downloaded in approximately four (4) minutes.

We do not recommend using MAQAM® MP3 if you are using a low speed, dial-up internet service.

Once a song download has been completed, it may not be downloaded again. If you experience an issue during download, you will have one (1) more opportunity to complete the download within twenty-four (24) hours.

Technical Specifications

MAQAM® MP3 is compatible with any computer, any operating system, and any Web browser capable of downloading files from the internet. We always recommend, for security and the best possible experience, to upgrade your browser to the latest version (for example IE 8, Firefox 3.5.2, or Chrome 2.0) and ensure that your computer has the latest Adobe Flash player (available free here) and Adobe Reader (available free here).

Upon your purchase of MP3 files, you must strictly comply with the Terms of Service as agreed during the registration and checkout processes. The files you download are strictly for your personal use and you may use, copy, store, transfer and burn the MP3 songs only for your personal, non-commercial, non-public, entertainment use, according to the Terms of Use.

Please help us protect your favorite artists' work by not participating in unauthorized and unlawful duplication of copyrighted materials. Remember that uploading music, videos, images, and other materials to web sites, message boards, social networking sites, peer-to-peer networks, and otherwise sharing music or videos publicly is a violation of applicable laws, and harms the artists' protection of their materials.

Show that you not only love the artist, but also respect their work. Together we can make a difference.

One world. One music. MAQAM®.

Please note that we will, on behalf of all of our artists, enforce the Terms of Use and ensure the protection of the music to the maximum extent allowed by law. As laws have caught up with technology, intentionally sharing, uploading, streaming, broadcasting, copying, or otherwise using copyrighted music without permission is now a criminal offense with severe consequences.