Digital Commons at Penn State

Perhaps the most common digital audio format today is MP3. An MP3 stands for "MPEG-layer 3" which is the audio layer of another format for video. MP3 files can be compressed small enough to be easily streamed over the Internet. All computers made now have MP3 playing capabilities with programs such as iTunes, RealPlayer, or Windows MediaPlayer. There are several software applications available that can be used to convert your audio file to mp3 format, which one may depend on what format the audio file is in.