MP3 music is a compressed audio file that can easily be transmitted through the Internet. It is the standard format and technology used to reduce an audio file to about ten to twelve times smaller than its original size. Compressing a compact disc track to an MP3 music file takes away sounds that are not audible for natural human hearing. Although an MP3 file is smaller than an original track file from a compact disc, its sound quality is said to be even better.
MP3 is a short term for MPEG 1 Layer III Audio Stream Sound file or Motion Picture Experts Group Layer 3. It is developed in Germany by the Fraunhofer Institute in the 1980s. Then later, the Motion Picture Experts Group standardized this method enabling a high compression audio file to maintains a high quality sound level.
To date, MP3 music is the most popular audio format used in digital transmission, Internet audio file sharing, as well as in portable music gadgets or MP3 players. The MP3 technology provided music enthusiasts with the convenience of storing a number of songs in a compact gadget which can be carried around wherever you go. MP3 is also the usual format used in playing music from media players on the computer. With the rise of MP3's popularity comes also the influx of audio file sharing services such as Napster, Kazaa, and many others.
