Beginners B&P Instructions (original document by EDcetera™, modified for the use of Tori-boot and anyone else that comes here)
With the advance in storage technologies, many concert recordings of various bands are now available from experienced traders. This page details how to start your own CD collection, and is geared to help those who wish to collect live shows, with a focus on the Tori Amos community, but the ideas can be applied with equal measure to any other CDR trading group (DMB, Phish, Dead, Radiohead, U2, etc).
I've split things into three relevant sections. If you're a newbie, read all three. If not, the other two are a good guide to help you make sure you're making things as easy on the person copying the shows for you as possible. Pictures are included and they're very helpful.
It will normally take 2-3 weeks for your show to arrive, sometimes longer, sometimes faster. Understand that traders live normal, full lives like the rest of us. And dubbing a show for you can tie up their entire computer. So, be patient and keep checking that mailbox. If you don't hear anything and a month goes by, feel free to inquire about the status of your B&P. Use your own judgment here.
When your show arrives, inside you will find your original CD-Rs, only now they contain the show you requested. (Note that some traders will send you back the show on different blanks.) Also, the show may come back with no notation on what show it is. You'll need your note from when you sent the package out (you DID write it down, didn't you?) to figure out what show it is. Most traders will write small numbers on the inside ring of the CD to indicate the disc number (1,2,3).
I listen to the show several times for enjoyment and to get an overall feel for it. Then I do one pass of critical listening, to make sure that the show is trade-worthy. I log any errors, anomalies or problems, and include that log in my future dealings with that show. I then e-mail the trader, letting him know what I thought of the show, and thanking him again for taking the time to enhance my personal collection. I may also ask the trader any questions I have about the show, such as lineage and sources, etc.
If I have any problems with the show at all, I contact the trader immediately to see if my CDs reflect his masters, or if I got a bad copy. I let them know specifically what I'm hearing and where, and what I think it might be. If you treat the trader as a friend who is helping you out, you'll get a much better response than treating him unkindly.
I also use software to track my collection and trades. Personally, I choose Tape Tracker, but WinTaper is another alternative. I like the ability to enter a trade into Tape Tracker and have it keep track for me, instead of having to remember it all myself. It allows me to take on more trades and B&P's than I normally would be able to.
I hope the information I've included here helps you get started with B&Ps. Remember, B&Ps are aimed at getting you started. Once you've got some shows and the ability to burn copies, you can graduate to trading shows. And don't forget to offer up a B&P occasionally to the new guys!
Please forward any corrections to this page to dmobley@fastmail.fm