General FAQ

What is TuneFlow (TF)?
TF provides an exciting new place for music lovers to discover new music and new artists. But it's much more than that. You didn't really think the big record labels had a lock on all the best talent in the world, did you? The fact is, there are thousands of great, unsigned singers, songwriters and bands all over the world that are making awesome music -- you just haven't been able to hear it anywhere.

And, ironically, this music is often actually better than what the big boys are pushing. The artists you'll find at TF, because they don't have contracts requiring them to sound "mainstream," regularly produce music that is fresh, innovative, and often in a much broader range of genres. At TuneFlow you get more styles, and more choices. Like our name suggests, we let the music FLOW...ALL the music!

TF is also about putting the ARTIST FIRST. At TF, artists are given the opportunity to get their music out to the world without restrictive contracts. And when you buy music at TF, it's the artists who get the lion's share (37% to 75% of total music revenues, and up to 88% of profits), not some big record label. TF also helps artists by providing invaluable exposure, infrastructure, marketing support, and more.

What is the TuneFlow Tournament?
Every month, TF challenges artists from around the world to write and record new, original songs based on one of four titles we choose. TF members review and rate the songs. The songs with the best average ratings at the end of the month win. It's "battle of the bands," Internet-style!

What kind of music will I find at TF?
We like to think of TF as offering "the best music you've never heard." If you're like most people, you probably only hear the music that the big record labels and the near-monopoly radio stations "force down our throats." But the fact is, there is so, so much more out there! Thanks to TuneFlow, you're going to discover a whole new world of great music from thousands of very talented musicians -- in a wide variety of music styles -- from around the world.

Who's behind TF?
Music lovers and musicians who believe that the future of music is on the Internet, where ALL artists can be heard and enjoyed, unhindered by greedy corporations and restrictive contracts.

What format are TF songs in and where can I play them?
All TF songs are provided in the popular MP3 format. You need only an MP3 player program to play them. To manage your song collection, we recommend iTunes for Mac/Windows users and XMMS for Linux users.

How do I become a TF member or artist?
Just register here. It's totally FREE and you can have full access within minutes.

Can I tell my friends about TF?
Please do!!...and we've made it really easy: Just look for the "Tell-A-Friend" links on the site. By using these links, you can refer friends to specific artists, specific songs, or just TF in general.

Do I have to register as a member to buy songs at TF?
No, but it's a heck of a lot more fun being a member. If you're not a member, you can't get free MP3s, can't rate songs, can't get our exclusive TF newsletter, etc. Register here. It's totally FREE.

What bitrate are TF songs encoded at?
45-second previews and the free Tournament downloads are encoded at 96 kbps. Our paid downloads are available in 128-192 kbps (artists are recommended to upload their music at 192 kbps).

Do I need to download any software to use TF?
No. TF is a fully Web-based service. All you need is a current Web browser and Internet access. To manage your song collection, we recommend iTunes for Mac/Windows users and XMMS for Linux users.

Is TF a "record label?"
No, at least not in the traditional sense. TF helps artists become successful by providing exposure to music lovers, infrastructure, marketing support, a music store to sell their songs, etc. All artists who want to utlize our services are welcome to do so without obligation, contracts, or upfront costs.

Can I play TF music on my iPod?
Absolutely. TF uses the MP3 format, so your TF music is 100% compatible with the Apple iPod/iTunes (and every other MP3 player on the market).

Does TF use DRM?
NO! No DRM of any kind is used on TF music. When you download music from TF, you can burn unlimited CDs or transfer the music to any computer or portable music player (including the iPod of course!) for your personal use.

How does what you pay to artists compare with the typical record label?
The industry standard royalty paid on music sales is just 12% to15%. When you buy music at TF, 37% to 75% of your purchase (and up to 88% of profits) goes directly to the artists!

If TuneFlow is really about "putting the artist first," why don't you pay them even more?
We could pay 100% to the artist but if we didn't get traffic and exposure for the artist it wouldn't do much good. We believe we best serve our artists by putting a portion of all revenue generated towards advertising and marketing, etc. so that TF can attract millions of listeners. That said, we DO pay the artists the largest share of the revenues (up to 88% of profits goes direct to TF artists). And though we wish it could be even higher, we do have to pay for bandwidth, servers, etc.

How do I buy music from TF?
The standard method is through a TF "Track Pak." Track Paks are packages of song credits --10, 20, or 40-- and start at just $9.99. The 40-Pak (which also comes with valuable FREE bonuses) allows you to buy any TF song, with no DRM and in high fidelilty quality, for just 79 cents each. Once you've purchased your credits, you can download songs instantly whenever you want. Quick, simple, and easy! You can also earn FREE download credits by reviewing songs. Note that all unused credits will expire one year after purchase.

Is there a way to follow during the month who's winning the tournament?
Real-time "leaderboards" of the top vote getters, by title and genre, are provided on the homepage so you can follow along all month long.

I have an idea for how to make TuneFlow even better.
Great! Use the "Suggestion Box" link located at the bottom of each TF Webpage.

What if my download didn't work?
This shouldn't happen very often if ever, but if it does, contact us here and we'll make sure you get the music you've paid for.

HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? CONTACT US HERE.