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MPEG is the acronym for Moving Picture Experts Group. This group has developed compression systems used for video data. For example, DVD movies, HDTV broadcasts and DSS satellite systems use MPEG compression to fit video and movie data into smaller spaces. The MPEG compression system includes a subsystem to compress sound, called MPEG audio Layer-3. We know it by its abbreviation - MP3.[/td][/tr][/table]
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Using the MP3 Format
Knowing about the MP3 format isn't half as interesting as using it. The MP3 movement - consisting of the MP3 format and the Web to advertise and distribute MP3 files -- has done several things for music:
- It has made it easy for anyone to distribute music at nearly no cost
- It has made it easy for anyone to find music and access it instantly
- It has taught people a great deal about manipulating sound on a computer
That third one was accidental but important. A big part of the MP3 movement is the fact that it has brought an incredible array of powerful tools to desktop computers and given people a reason to learn how they work. Because of these tools it is now extremely easy for you to:
- download an MP3 file from a web site and play it
- rip a song from a music CD and play it directly or encode it as an MP3 file
- record a song yourself, convert it to an MP3 file and make it available to the world
- convert MP3 files into CD files and create your own audio CDs from MP3 files on the web
- rip songs off of various music CDs and recombine them into your own custom CDs
- store hundreds of MP3 files on data CDs
- load MP3 files into tiny portable players and listen to them wherever you go
To do all of these things all that you need is a computer with a sound card and speakers, an Internet connection, a CD-R drive to create CDs and an MP3 player. If you simply want to download MP3 files from the web and listen to them then all that you need is a computer with a sound card and speakers and an Internet connection - something you probably already have!
Let's look at many of the different things you can do with MP3 files and the software that makes it possible.
Downloading and Listening to MP3 files
If you would like to download and then listen to MP3 files on your computer, then you need:
- A computer
- A sound card and speakers for the computer (if your computer has speakers it has a sound card)
- An Internet connection (if you are browsing the web to read this article, then you have an Internet connection and it is working fine)
- An MP3 player (a software application you can download from the web in 10 minutes)
If you have recently purchased a new computer, chances are it already has software that can play MP3 files installed on its hard disk. The easiest way to find out if you already have an MP3 player installed is to download an MP3 file and try to double-click on it. If it plays you are set. If not, you need to download a player, which is very easy to do.
There are literally thousands of sites on the web where you can download MP3 files. Here's three of the biggest:
Go to one of these sites, find a song and download it to your hard disk (most MP3 sites let you listen to the song as a streaming file or download the song -- you want to download the song). Most songs range between 2 and 4 megabytes, so it will take 10 to 15 minutes unless you have a high-speed internet connection. Once the song has finished downloading, try to double-click on the file and see what happens. If your computer plays it, then you are set.
If you find that you cannot play it, then you need to download an MP3 player. There are dozens of players available, and most of them are free or shareware so they are extremely inexpensive. One of the most popular is WinAmp, which you can download from www.winamp.com. For a complete list of all of the available players, this page from MP3.com offers a very nice selection. Once you download and install a player, double-click on the MP3 file that you downloaded and it will play.
You are now ready to begin collecting MP3 files and saving them on your computer. Many people have hundreds of songs they have collected, and they create juke-box like playlists so that their computer can play them all day long!
Taking Your MP3 Files with You
Many people who start collecting MP3 files find that they want to listen to them in all kinds of places. Small portable MP3 players answer this need. These players are like portable cassette players except that they are smaller. Here are three typical examples:
These players plug into your computer's parallel port to transfer the data, and a software application lets you transfer your MP3 files into the player by simply dragging the files.
Creating Your Own MP3 Files
If you have a CD collection and would like to convert songs from your CDs into MP3 files, you can use ripper and encoder software to convert your favorite songs. A ripper copies the song's file from the CD onto your hard disk. The encoder compresses the song into the MP3 format. By encoding songs you can play them on your computer or take them with you on your MP3 player.
AudioCatalyst is a popular ripper/encoder that you can use to do the job. This page from MP3.com contains an extensive list of other rippers and encoders.
Writing MP3s to CDs
If you have a writable CD drive in your computer, there are two ways to save your MP3 files on a CD:
- You can write the MP3 files themselves onto a data CD in order to save them and clear some space on your hard disk. You can then listen to the files on any computer.
- You can convert (decode) your MP3 files into full-size CD tracks and then save them to an audio CD. This allows you to listen to your favorite MP3 files on any CD player.
WinAmp has a plug-in that will create full-size WAV files from an MP3 file, and some of the encoders will also decode. Once you have the full-size CD tracks, then the software that comes with your CD-R drive will let you create an audio CD easily.
The CD-Recordable FAQ is an excellent source of information on getting data and music onto a CD.
Distributing Original Music
If you are an artist who is recording music at home or in a small studio, you can use MP3 files and the Web to
distribute your music to an extremely large audience. The first step is to create a song, either on
a cassette tape, mini-disc or on a CD. If it is on a CD then you can use the ripper and encoder tools described above to create
an MP3 file. If it is on a cassette (or minidisc), you can connect the output of your cassette (or minidisc)
deck to the line-in or
microphone jack of your sound card and record the music digitally on your computer. Then you can encode that
file to create the MP3.
Once you have an MP3 file in hand you have 2 distribution options:
- You can go to a site like MP3.com and let them distribute your music. The advantage
of this approach is that MP3.com gets millions of visitors every month, so the potential audience you can reach is very large. To sign up with MP3.com go to the artist area. You will need at least one MP3 file,
a photograph of your band and/or album cover and some information about the band in order to sign up. The process is
simple. MP3.com has other programs for artists as well.
- You can create your own web site for your music or band and promote your website yourself. This
gives you more control and individuality, but requires you to get the word out on your site. See
How Web Pages Work for details on creating and hosting your own web
site for your band.
One good option
is to make your MP3 files available on MP3.com and then link to the MP3.com download area from your band's web site. This
lets you get the best of both worlds and also lets you take advantage of MP3.com's servers for the large
MP3 files.
Links
Popular MP3 sites
MP3 Software
MP3.com Software list -players, rippers, encoders, etc. Use the column on the left to choose your platform (windows, mac, etc.) and then look for the "complete lists".
MP3 Format Details
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