# Hex and music files **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hex-and-music-files/127293 "2002-09-06T15:05:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bhb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bhb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bhb)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hex-and-music-files/127293/1 "2002-09-06T15:05:51Z")
If you open up an mp3 or a wav file in a hex editor you get a whole load of well… hex. So, if you print out all these values (which as an ass load, but step into hypothetical land with me for a second) and take the papers to someone and have them type them in, will they be able to listen to the song? It wouldn’t make sense if they could, atleast not to me, can someone explain? thanks. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hex-and-music-files/127293/2 "2002-09-06T17:49:38Z")
If they type them in exactly in a hex editor and save it as an .mp3, they will be able to listen to the song. That hex that you’re seeing is what’s stored on disk. You hear the song by interpreting that data a certain way with a program. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2002, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hex-and-music-files/127293/3 "2002-09-06T17:57:27Z")
If they type them in exactly in a hex editor and save it as an .mp3, they will be able to listen to the song. That hex that you’re seeing is what’s stored on disk. You hear the song by interpreting that data a certain way with a program.