| File
Sharing Resources
Just what is an Mp3 anyway? MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 is the technical name. Basically, it's a way to save sound files in a format that takes up much less room than traditional digital audio files, such as .WAV. The quality of Mp3 files is nearly as good as that from the other well-known digital music source: CDs. That's why so many sites, including this one have had to pull our Mp3 files from our servers. The exceptionally good quality of this file type worries the recording industry. And with good reason. Millions of songs have been shared by music lovers for free. Imagine how much money was lost by the major labels since no one will pay for something they can download for free. There are many who argue
for the use of file sharing. Saying it aids the popularity of music
groups, by spreading their work more widely. We're not here to decide
one way or the other. We're here to provide you with some useful
information in the spirit of free speech. Mp3 files themselves are
not illegal. Only files made from copyrighted materials are.
Therefore, it is entirely possible to use this format in a legal manner.
Many in the entertainment, radio, TV and other areas use Mp3s to share
or transport their products. Home users have a right to copy songs
they have legally purchased to any format they choose, as long as it's
for personal use. So use it and love it.
File Sharing is how you can find Mp3s that were created by others. Some of these files may actually be illegal. Use descretion when downloading from unknown users. There may also be viruses on some of these servers, so as always, have an anti-virus program up to date and running.
File Creation is simple. You can either use a ripper and take the files directly from a cd, or you can record your own, and then encode to the Mp3 format. "Encoding" is the term used to describe the process of transforming a large sound file into a compressed version, suitable for sharing on the web or by email. Mp3 files generally reduce the filesize by about 90 percent. That means a typical .WAV file will use about 11 megabytes of space per minute, and an Mp3 will compress that to about a meg a minute. Of course it depends on the bitrate you choose. 128kbs is fairly standard for many filesharing programs. I recommend using at least 160 kbs. It makes a slightly larger file, but the quality will also be better. If space is no issue, try using even higer rates, such as 220 or even 360 kbs. These files are quite large, but still smaller than the orignial wav. Here are a few tools you can use to create and play Mp3 files.
|