How to Burn a CD Online

Digital music is much more versatile than the cassettes --- and even CDs --- of the past. It can be played on any computer or portable music player, and even on most cell phones. You can even legally create a CD from your digital music downloads, usually at a much lower cost than buying a music CD from a store.

• 1

  Download your music from a legal digital download source. Some digital download sites charge per download, usually around $1 a song. Some sites charge a monthly subscription fee and allow a more open number of downloads per month, sometimes unlimited. Shop around and find a site that works best for you.

• 2

  Open your songs in a program that burns CDs, such as iTunes or Windows Media Player. Organize your songs into a playlist in the order you want them on your CD. You can burn an entire album as it was produced, but you don't have to.

• 3

  Insert a blank CD-RW disc into your CD-RW drive.

• 4

  Click "Burn a CD" or "Burn Disc" on the screen showing your playlist. Click "OK" and wait for your CD to burn. It should take between 20 minutes and an hour, depending on the speed of your computer.

• 5

  Print album artwork if you want to and cut it to fit your CD case. You can also write your song titles on the back of your artwork or even type them and print them out. Place your artwork into the front cover of your CD case. Write the album or artist name --- or some other identifying information if there are various artists on your CD --- on the top of your disc so that you know what's on it if it's ever separated from the case.