mp3

MP3 stands for MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, and was developed by the Motion Pictures Expert Group. It’s an encoding format that uses lossy data compression to seriously crunch audio files down from the high fidelity original into a much more manageable size, nearly universal to modern portable audio players.

MP3 popularity exploded with the rise of the original Napster, a peer-to-peer file sharing program that allowed users to share songs in MP3 format without paying for them. The relatively small size of MP3-format files made this type of file sharing relatively painless, even on slower dial-up connections that were popular at the time it emerged. This type of file sharing is technically illegal and a form of copyright infringement, and once word spread, the sharing of music over the Internet became quite the hot button issue.

Such file sharing still takes place today, but rather than trying to fight it with brick-and-mortar retail, smart publishers have embraced the digitial distribution model, such as Apple's iTunes Store and the DRM-free Amazon MP3 music downloading service.

MP3 achieves its high compression by factoring out aspects of the recording that are generally inaudible to people anyway. Removing those portions and recording the remainder in a more efficient way can cut down file sizes by 90% or more from the original cut, depending on the bit rate. Run of the mill 128kbps bit rate would sound okay, though not considered hi-fi by audiophiles. The higher the bit rate, the better the quality, and the larger the file, and vice versa.

by Mark Buckingham Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Original Technorati articles tagged “mp3”

• in Music
  KidTunes: Mo Phillips Wants a Monster Suit
  “Ducks don’t get wet…how cool can you get?” –Mo Phillips
  by missbobetier / on May 9, 2012
• in Family
  KidTunes: The Pop Ups Go Wild in Radio Jungle
  “I draw myself a world with a box of crayons…” The Pop Ups
  by missbobetier / on May 9, 2012
• in Music
  Gorillaz: DoYaThing with Andre 3000 and James Murphy
  DoYaThing: Converse's latest Three Artists. One Song. collaboration, Gorillaz featuring Andre 3000 and James Murphy, is free for download.
  by triciaweight / on Feb 25, 2012

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “mp3”

 

• MP3 Toolkit offers all the MP3 Tools you will ever need

  
  — Authority:
  When it comes to mp3 files, you sometimes may need a set of tools to edit, convert or even rip them in first place. While you can use specialized tools for that which provide you with some of the functionality that you may need, a set of tools that Mp3 Toolkit offers may come in handy as well. It is basically a ...
  1 hour ago

• Preemptive Strike 0.1 - T.A.L.O.S. - 2012-FWYH

  
  — Authority:
  Preemptive_Strike_0.1-T.A.L.O.S.-2012-FWYH Release : 2012 | Track: 13 | Bitrate: 251 kb/sec | Duration: 62 Mins | Size : 111.09 MB Genre: Electronic
  2 hours ago

• Tensor And Re - Direction - Split Second EP - (IMPHCLTD008) - Vinyl - 2012-SRG

  
  — Authority:
  Tensor_And_Re-Direction_-_Split_Second_EP-(IMPHCLTD008)-Vinyl-2012-SRG Release : 2012 | Track: 4 | Bitrate: 268 kb/sec | Duration: 20 Mins | Size : 38.72 MB Genre: Hardcore
  2 hours ago

• Chris Watson Band - Pleasure and Pain [MP3/2012]

  
  — Authority:
  Chris Watson Band - Pleasure and Pain [MP3/2012] MP3 320 Kbps | Blues | 45 Min | 114 Mb
  2 hours ago

• Joeri Plaizier - Rik Tikke Tik Tik - WEB - NL - 2012-gnvr

  
  — Authority:
  Joeri_Plaizier-Rik_Tikke_Tik_Tik-WEB-NL-2012-gnvr Release : 2012 | Track: 1 | Bitrate: 320 kb/sec | Duration: 03 Mins | Size : 7.79 MB Genre: Folk
  2 hours ago

• Jeroen Van Zelst - Leef Je Leven - WEB - NL - 2012-gnvr

  
  — Authority:
  Jeroen_Van_Zelst-Leef_Je_Leven-WEB-NL-2012-gnvr Release : 2012 | Track: 1 | Bitrate: 320 kb/sec | Duration: 04 Mins | Size : 8.34 MB Genre: Folk
  2 hours ago

• Jan Smit En Gerard Joling - Echte Vrienden - WEB - NL - 2012-gnvr

  
  — Authority:
  Jan_Smit_En_Gerard_Joling-Echte_Vrienden-WEB-NL-2012-gnvr Release : 2012 | Track: 1 | Bitrate: 320 kb/sec | Duration: 03 Mins | Size : 7.15 MB Genre: Folk
  2 hours ago

• Cheneta Jones – Transformed [MP3/2012]

  
  — Authority:
  Cheneta Jones – Transformed [MP3/2012] MP3 320 Kbps | Christian-Gospel, Soul | 47 Min | 110 Mb
  2 hours ago

• Henk Wijngaard - Ware Dromen - WEB - NL - 2012-gnvr

  
  — Authority:
  Henk_Wijngaard-Ware_Dromen-WEB-NL-2012-gnvr Release : 2012 | Track: 1 | Bitrate: 320 kb/sec | Duration: 03 Mins | Size : 7.89 MB Genre: Folk
  2 hours ago

• Ariane Moffatt - M A [MP3/2012]

  
  — Authority:
  Ariane Moffatt - M A [MP3/2012] MP3 320 Kbps | Indie Pop, Electronic | 43 Min | 105 Mb
  2 hours ago

• #8: Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now

  
  — Authority:
  Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now Justin Townes Earle | Format: MP3 Download 19 days in the top 100 (20) Download: $2.99 (Visit the Best Sellers in MP3 Albums list for authoritative information on this product’s current rank.) See the original post here: #8: Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way ...
  2 hours ago

• Of Monsters And Men “My Head Is An Animal” MP3 Album only $3!

  
  — Authority:
  Original Release Date: April 3, 2012 Format – Music: MP3 Compatible with MP3 Players (including with iPod®), iTunes, Windows Media Player My Head Is An Animal
  3 hours ago

• Skream and Benga 2012-05-25 Justin Martin is on the phone

  
  — Authority:
  “Justin Martin from the San Francisco label Dirtybird is on the phone to select an entry into A History of Bass in 100 Tracks and the boys come packing loads of dubstep exclusives!! We turn the playlist over to you and ask you to send us the filthiest bassline of the week in The Rib Rattler, then things get slowed ...
  4 hours ago

• Mobile Phones (COJ233784)

  
  — Authority:
  Whatever contract mobile phones you require, you canrnfind a better deal with us. For more information andrnthe latest free gifts with your contract, shop online.rn(http://www.affordablemobiles.co.uk)
  4 hours ago

• Jack Canfield & Pamela Bruner – Tapping Into Ultimate Success [14 MP3s, 9 MP4s, 7 PDFs] (Everything Else)

  
  — Authority:
  Please keep this material exclusive to theplace.bz! Sharing it elswhere will get you banned! Jack Canfield & Pamela Bruner – Tapping Into Ultimate Success [14 MP3s, 9 MP4s, 7 PDFs] Course about making use of EFT to achieve goals and overcome blocks to success. Uploader’s Note: I went through this course ...
  4 hours ago

• Kiss Presents – Laurent Garnier on Kiss 100 – 2012-05-25

  
  — Authority:
  Kiss Presents – Laurent Garnier on Kiss 100 – 2012-05-25 [Depositfiles download] Tracklist: Non available. Follow Core News on Facebook , Google+ and Twitter . Tweet
  4 hours ago

• Childish Gambino f/ Nipsey Hussle – “Black Faces (Royalty)” (prod. Boi-1da & Ludwig) | New Music

  
  — Authority:
  Childish Gambino is on a roll right now. Following the very dope “untitled” track, “Unnecessary” featuring ScHoolBoy Q and “Tell Me” featuring Heems from Das Racist, the rapper, actor, comedian, writer real name Donald Glover delivers this brand new cut for Memorial Day weekend. Following the same M.O as ...
  4 hours ago

• BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix 2012-05-26 Dubfire

  
  — Authority:
  “Dubfire returns to BBC Radio 1′s Essential Mix. As one half of Grammy award winning duo Deep DIsh, Dubfire was behind a string of anthemic productions including ‘Flashdance’ and ‘Say Hello’. And, as a solo artist, he’s released music on labels like Cocoon, Desolat and his own label Sci + Tec Digital ...
  4 hours ago

• Lil Wayne – Goulish (Pusha T Diss)

  
  — Authority:
  Pusha T called out Wayne, Drake and the YMCMB camp and it looks like Lil Wayne took a shot back……..and missed terribly, don’t mean to impose my opinions but this is a bad attempt at coming back against Pusha T. Pretty sure Drake would have had 10x better bars. I even included the lyrics if you don’t believe me ...
  4 hours ago

• Steinski - Solid Steel (2FM) - SAT - 26 - 05 - 2012-1KING

  
  — Authority:
  Steinski-Solid_Steel_(2FM)-SAT-26-05-2012-1KING Release : 2012 | Track: 1 | Bitrate: 225 kb/sec | Duration: 58 Mins | Size : 92.98 MB Genre: House
  4 hours ago

Comments about mp3