Burning CDs on Windows  

 What you'll need: CDs.CDBurnerXP. Colbalt.tools CD/DVD Writer (I use this Samsung WriteMaster) 

Step one: Getting the MP3 file 

If you want to support music artists buy their MP3s from places like iTunes or Bandcamp. If not, find your song on YouTube or Soundcloud, copy the URL and paste it in Cobalt. (I use cobalt as it has no ads and isn't sketchy as hell) The names of these files don't matter as long as you know which songs they are. 

Step two: Organising the CD 

Set up your writer and pop the blank CD in. Double check there is no fluff or anything on the bottom of the disk. Open up CDBurnerXP. Click audio disc for a new project and drag and drop your mp3. With more than one song you can re-arrange the song order by dragging. At the bottom of the screen you can see how much space you'll have left. 

Step three: BURNING TIME!!! 

Once you've decided the order for your songs, save your project (just in case) and then click burn on the left hand side. You'll have a lot of option with the speed of the burn. Basically, the longer the burn, the better the quality, but for this the slowest I'd use is 10x. It doesn't take long but the speed of both your computer and writer will vary. 

Making tracklists and covers: CDBurnerXP can make tracklists and covers. I haven't done this before but the website has a tutorial. 

Labelling Cds: You can, if you want, just grab a sharpie and write wherever to mark up your cd. If you care though, there's a few things you need to know about preserving your cd. Some CDs have a printed cover on the top, this you can write on, and is far more protected. Cds in general can last up to about 15 years, though this depends on how well you look after them. If you're using your CD for media storage, or you really don't want to risk losing anything on it, just take note. Obviously avoid scratching the bottom of the disks, but the top is important as well. Even writing on the disk can cause damage. There are specific markers you can buy that are built not to bleed into the data of the disk, but just write lightly and don't use a sharp pen. Knowing where to write is important too. You can always write in the small plastic ring in the center of the CD. That stores no data so its completely safe, although small. Depending on how much of the cds storage is used, you can write on the outside (where no data has been burned).

Storing CDs: The best way to store cds is in their own individual plastic cases. Any other way and you'll risk scratching it and losing data. I'm a hypocrite though because I store most of mine in a fabric binder. You can find a ton of carry cases for cds, and a lot of cool designs second hand on eBay, or carboots/charity shops. OH and if you want to listen to your cds in the car you can get fabric holders for your sun visor (very cool!). ((just point the end towards the inside of the car or they might fly out the window when you take a bend))

 If you found this guide useful lmk. Any questions? Comment or PM me!