FTP Downloading
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is somewhat of an old-school method of trading files online. It is still very widely used for many applications, though it's reliance on dedicated servers has caused it to decline in popularity as an impetus for swapping audio files with the rise of decentralized distributed networks like BitTorrent. A more technical description of the nature of FTP can be found at
Wikipedia.
FTP downloading sites are becoming few and far between, and since they are exclusively maintained by private parties, they vary greatly in terms of their capacity and reliability. FTP site administrators also employ varying degrees of accessibility, from fully open/public servers to private ones for personal friends only. Google, word-of-mouth, and private forums are the best way to locate FTP servers that may contain material you will be interested in. Just remember that you are always using someone else's property when download from an FTP site, so be respectful and polite to the people who provide the service to you.
In order to access an FTP site, you will need an FTP client software package. There are countless different options out there, some free, some ad-based, and some pay-for-use programs. I recommend
FileZilla, a free open-source, fully secure FTP client distributed through SourceForge. There is no need to endure advertising, crippled versions, or licensing fees to use FTP. If you are interested in setting up your own FTP site, FileZilla offers a server package as well.
Here's some examples of FTP sites that I have used and enjoyed over the years. They represent mostly my own personal tastes, but feel free to check them out or look around for others which you may enjoy.
- Bluegrassbox - A semi-public FTP site with live Bluegrass music.
- Shntunes - This one's been around forever. Lots of jam-band type stuff.
- The Live Music Internet Archive - Though not exclusively an FTP site, the Live Music Archive (consistenting of 1000s of shows) can be accessed through FTP as well as HTTP download and BitTorrent.