The MP3 file format has changed the way we store music by reducing the storage capacity needed to hold a track by around a tenth. This is primarily done by cutting out many frequencies that are inaudible to the human ear; while the quality of the sound does suffer somewhat, the majority of people feel that this is a worthy sacrifice for the sake of portability and ease of use. The smaller size of mp3 files has made it far easier for users to download music then add it to their player.
Many regard the first MP3 player to be Sae Han's MPMan although conjecture surrounds this as many believe the Diamond Rio was the first. This common misconception is due to the legal and media furore that surrounded the release of Diamond's device.
The MPMan was first entered into the marketplace in 1997 with a storage capacity of just 32 Meg, around three quarters of a CD. Naturally capacity has increased greatly over the years, a development that has given the MP3 format incredible popularity. Modern devices can now hold around 160 gigabytes, colossal amounts of music that can be carried in the pocket.
As the amount of data that can be stored on an MP3 player has increased it is unsurprising that companies have had to develop systems that allow the user to filter their music and find the particular track they are looking for.
These organisational systems are used in a twofold manner, firstly there are the file ordering systems present in the device, but equally important is the software kept on the computer that helps users to find and choose what music they wish to put on their MP3 player. If the files are labelled correctly it is possible to find any particular track along the lines of artist, album, year and even genre. Most players also give users the option to sort their music in individual ways, such as in terms of moods or locations.
The fact that MP3 files are so small in comparison to regular music has caused a boom in online music sales. There are now a number of dedicated websites that solely sell music in the digital format. Users simply download the songs they want and are then charged for each. The benefit of this is that customers no longer have to buy the entire album if they simply like one or two tracks. Unfortunately the growth of the MP3 format has led to a great deal of illegal file sharing resulting in less revenue for the music industry as a whole.
Many people consider the advent of the MP3 player age as a new age for music more generally. Some commentators have stated that this file format has completely changed the way we listen to music wholesale. In part this is true, people are now far less inclined to go out and by an album, either in CD or MP3 format as it is far simpler to obtain it online.
Additionally, people now seem to buy music in tracks rather than in albums, as such there is a fear that those great album tracks that only used to be heard once the album had been purchased will be phased out. Perhaps this is simply the price to pay for a musical format that is ultimately convenient; allowing users to download almost any specific track they may want and then carry it with them wherever they go.
Technology expert Thomas Pretty studies the origins of the
MP3 player and file format and how it has changed the way music is listened to, bought and stored.
