The act of acquiring audio files in the Moving Picture Experts Group Layer 3 format without cost from the video-sharing platform YouTube represents a common practice. This involves utilizing third-party websites or software to extract the audio track from a YouTube video and save it as an MP3 file. A user might, for example, seek to obtain a song or speech audio found on YouTube for offline listening.
This process offers convenience and accessibility to audio content. Historically, individuals seeking specific audio have relied on purchasing media. Obtaining audio tracks independently provides an alternative to traditional methods of acquisition. The ease of creating personal audio collections contributes to its prevalence, but questions surrounding copyright infringement and legality often arise depending on the source material and usage.