The exam tracks are now available as downloads directly from the site.

As the CDs are not available to buy on their own anymore (only when buying the scores) then this seems the ideal way for me to get the backing tracks for exams.

The site says that you can have one A, B and C track for just £2.50, but then seemed to want to charge me the full price. It's only pennies difference, but does not not fill me with confidence to put in my credit-card details.


Has anyone tried this yet? If so, how do you recieve the tracks?

Many thanks

Well, depite many viewers no one seems to have used this service, so...

I decided to have a go anyway, and here's my experience:

Choosing the tracks was easy, if you've used any kind of on-line shopping before. As I said above, there was supposed to be an offer of 3 tracks for £2.50 (prices vary by grade), but when I went to checkout it still wanted to charge me 3 x 99p. Never mind, the extra 49p would be worth it, so I confirmed my order.

You then have to register with "Click and Buy", some service that ABRSM are using for the transactions. OK, I thought, I s'pose that's alright.

Usual credit card details are taken. Plus a password and a special-question. But then it wants extra information that most on-line shops would not need. Age (?), and address (but it's a download, not a delivery). My first problem comes in that it won't accept my address, however carefully I fill in the boxes. It might be due to not having a house number, just a name.

Anyway, as they already have my card details by now, I'm keen to see the thing through. Luckily a relative lives nearby so I "borrow" their address and get past the validations.

All becomes clear at the last stage. You MUST share your details with ABRSM, otherwise you cannot confirm the purchase. i.e. there is a tickbox, where you would normally decline to be sent "stuff", but you cannot confirm the purchase unless you agree! ( Not sure this is even legal)

Anyway, once the purchase goes through I get the confirmation emails. Only last niggle was that each of my chosen tracks was listed 3 times for download! The emails all say that I will be charged £2.97, but I'll still be double-checking the statement to check I've not been charged three times for the same thing.

So, to conclude, probably one of the worst on-line experiences I've ever had. On the positive side, I have now got the backing tracks that my daughter wanted.

I'd still love to hear if anyone else has used the audio download service, and how they found it.


Best Wishes

I've not used the service but your experience sounds very depressing.

But this is pretty normal when a service starts for the first time.

Give it time.

I never use any online service to buy things unless it's linked specifically to a debit card or Paypal.



Are you sure?

As to the legality, I fear that in the UK, the question of legality is fast resembling that of the ex Soviet Union!


Steve

Just tried to purchase three Grade 4 piano tracks. I gave up at the point where, for the second time in the whole long drawn out process, I was asked to type the text I could see "above". This worked fine the first time but there was nothing there second time. It did seem a lot of pallaver to spend £1-95.