A Beginner's Guide to Digital Audio
by about.com's Steve Allen
What
is MP3?
MP3 is
just a method of compressing files. Its name is an abbreviation for the
much more unwieldy MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) 1 Layer 3. If you
just love long, technical explanations, visit the
MPEG Home Page. All you really need to
know, though, is that MP3 files are about one-tenth the size of
uncompressed audio files. On a CD, each minute of music takes up about 10
megabytes of space. Very few people would want to download a 40-megabyte
file just to hear four minutes of music. With MP3 compression, the same
four-minute song would take up about four megabytes, and would sound
almost as good as the original, 40-meg file. Four megabytes is still
significant, but is a practical size for sending over the Net, especially
for those with fast connections.
How
Can I Play MP3's?
Even if
you have never installed a special player, you can probably play MP3 files
on your computer right now. The
Media Player that comes with newer
versions of Windows, or
QuickTime 4 for Macintosh, work just
fine. There are also many other products listed in
MP3 Players and Recorders.
*Note from
Stephen*
Some players have built in hypnotic visuals
that will enhance your past life regression and meditation sessions. The visuals work especially well if you tend to fall asleep when you
listen to recordings with your eyes closed. Simply play the
audio recording while staring at the visual and let your mind
wander. Some people find they get more insight while using
this approach.
Also, in case you're
new to MP3s or audio files, the term "burning CDs" means creating a
CD from the audio file. It's very easy to do with the software
that is most likely already on your computer..
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The instant access audio files
on this website are in MP3 format. Your purchase of the audio
file(s) licenses you to download and play it and create cds or other
recorded formats for personal use. Under no circumstances are you
licensed to sell or give away copies of the audio or e-book files.
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