To benefit from the advantages of MP3, you need to possess audio files in this format. You can identify such files by the “mp3” ending on the file name, e.g. “velocity.mp3”. MP3 files can be obtained in two main ways. Either you can convert the music on a standard CD into MP3 format yourself, or you can download existing MP3 files from the Internet!

Making your own MP3s

Converting tracks from a standard CD into MP3 files for private use is a multi-step process with certain hard- and software requirements! First, you need a PC with a CD-ROM drive. Once you have inserted your audio CD, you require a piece of software to copy the tracks onto your hard drive. This software is known as a ‘CD ripper’. Once the track is copied to the hard drive, the next step involves using an ‘encoder’ to compress the data to MP3 format. In this context, the term ‘bitrate’ plays a central role as the compression factor determining the quality and size of the resulting MP3 file. The bitrate usually varies in the range of 8-192 kbps. The higher the bitrate, the greater the size and quality of the MP3 file. A bitrate of 128 kbps has established itself as a good compromise between size and quality.

Downloading MP3s from the Internet

If your PC has Internet access, you can download existing MP3 files from a large number of websites. These MP3 files have already gone through the process described above, and once you have downloaded them, they are stored on your hard drive in MP3 format. For a brief overview of the most popular websites offering MP3 downloads, see our list of links. The legal aspects of downloading MP3 files is dealt with under Legal Issues.

Playing MP3s

If your PC has a soundcard and loudspeakers, you might now decide to leave your MP3 files on the computer and play them there. All you need for this is the corresponding MP3 player software, e.g. WinAmp. You can find a range of shareware and freeware MP3 players in our list of links. If you wish to play your downloaded tracks outside of your PC, there are various options.

If you own a portable MP3 player, connect it to your PC, transfer the tracks you want to hear to the player, and enjoy them on the move. If your PC has a CD recorder, you can also burn the tracks onto a CD as MP3 files. If the CD player in your hi-fi system supports the MP3 format, you can then listen to your MP3-CD in the living room. Finally, using your CD recorder software, you can use your MP3 files to make a standard audio CD in CDDA format, bringing the MP3 cycle full circle, to the starting point of your MP3 journey.