What's a Playlist and How Do I Get One?
Everything you need to know but were afraid to ask
Q. What's a playlist?
A. A playlist is just a group of songs organized by a theme. Some of the songs here are grouped by the type of walker (beginner, intermediate, advanced). Others are grouped by the type of music ('80s, legends) with the tempos listed, so you can pick what's right for your walking speed. (See "bpm," below.)
Q. What does bpm mean?
A. The bpm refers to each song's beats per minute -- a higher bpm means a faster song. (Note: these counts correspond to the songs, not to your heart rate.) If you walk 3 mph, try music around 115 bpm; for 3.5 mph, about 125 bpm; for 4 mph, try 135 bpm. Aim for one step per beat, or just use faster songs to get you moving faster and slower ones when you're cruising more casually.
Q. How do I download songs?
A. Next to each song is an iTunes button. If you click on that, you'll be sent to that song's page on the iTunes Web site. If you have the iTunes program installed on your computer, it will open automatically. If not, you'll be prompted to download the program (it's free). Once that's done, click on the button on the playlist again. You can then preview a song by listening to a few moments of it, purchase a song (usually 99 cents), or click on another button to preview something else.
Q. Do I have to have an iPod to download songs from iTunes?
A. iTunes songs are sold in the "AAC" format. This is the default format for the iPod, but these songs will play on most current media/MP3 players as well (check your owner's manual to see if yours accepts this format).
If you don't use iTunes and would rather not install that software on your computer, you can also download each of these songs as MP3s from Amazon.com.
Ready to download some walking tunes? Check out our playlists.
