MP3 stands for MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 and is part of the family of Motion Picture Expert Group (MPEG) standards. With MP3 it is possible to store digital music (e.g., from a CD) as comparatively small amounts of data.
With an MP3 player, music can be heard directly on the computer, sound card and speakers, of course, provided. The today known and always used music download over the Internet has become possible only through space-saving formats such as MP3. MP3 is not limited to the Internet. With portable players such as the smartphone, music can be heard on the go.
The compression is not without quality loss. There are different quality levels, which can be read at the so-called bit rate.
During compression, the sound data is subjected to various analyzes. The aim is to omit sounds that are barely perceptible to the human ear anyway. Since these sounds are not perceptible anyway, you can cut them away and save a lot of unnecessary space.
MP3 is the classic music format. Decisive factors include the quality and platform independence of this format. The MP3 format is supported by virtually all operating systems, programs and devices.