Free Mp3 Downloads

With the MP3 format, storage problems and long downloading times are things of the past. MP3 stands for MPEG Audio Layer-3, an audio compression system developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (which forms the acronym MPEG). Put simply, MP3 compresses large music files into smaller, more easily portable files. MP3 compresses a file to one tenth or less of its size without noticeable loss of audio quality. MP3 has become the musical language of the Internet, where files can be exchanged in a virtual instant over a fast connection. No longer does a music lover have to content with bulky, awkward storage systems. Hundreds of free MP3 downloads can be stored on a single CD – several albums' worth.

Best of all, you are no longer tied to your computer to hear your favorite music. Portable MP3 players have arrived, small enough to take anywhere but powerful enough to store hours of music.

  To get started on your own collection of free mp3 downloads, all you need is your computer and your Internet connection. Your computer needs to have a sound card and speakers, and, if you intend to create your own CDs, a CD burner. Putting your free mp3 downloads onto a CD is a good idea, because once you start downloading free music, you won't be able to stop, and you will soon find yourself running out of space!

You will also need an MP3 player on your hard drive, which you can download from the Internet. WinAmp is one of the most popular free MP3 players, which you can customize with various `skins' to suit your desktop.

  Even with a CD burner, keep some space on your hard drive for personal playlists. If you work at home on your computer, these can be a real boon. Writers love to create playlists to complement a current project – for example, travel writers can store music from the places they write about, to help get them in the mood for descriptive travelogues.

Mothers who work at home often store music to keep the kids amused while they work, and any project gets a lift from having appropriate motivating music streaming out of the speakers.

If you want to copy your own music CDs on your hard drive to play back as MP3 files, you will need Ripper and Encoder software. Rippers do just that – they `rip' the music from your CDs and put it on your hard drive. Encoders convert the files to MP3 format. When this happens you can play the CDs on your computer or download them onto your portable MP3 player. The major benefit from this is that you can store your CDs and keep them safe from damage while still enjoying your music.

The conversion process works the other way as well. If you want to create CDs that you can play on your CD player, you will need a decoder to convert your MP3s into audio format and a CD burner. If you have DVD player or car stereo that plays MP3 files from a burned CD, you won't even have to do that to play your music anywhere you want it.

  MP3 has liberated music for music lovers and music makers. If you have an MP3 player on your hard drive, you can search out a wealth of free music downloads on the Internet, and you don't have to flaunt the law to start building your collection.

Gail Kavanagh 2005