Sue, This has been explained several times but I will try to summarize what has been said. Burning software language may vary with the program so, it might be helpful if you provide the name of the software you are using if you are still having a problem. To get a reasonable quality you should save MP3s at least as high as 128. If you are burning with the music setting, even if you start with an MP3 some software will convert that to the cda format used by most burners. It does the same thing with wavs. With the music setting you will have the same number of songs on the CD irregardless of the format of the music put into the burning program. The music format allows you to place the tracks in any order you choose.

To take advantage of the MP3 compression and put a larger number of music tracks on a CD you start with MP3s and select "Data" as the burning format. The selection of music or data is usually done as soon as you open the burning software. At 128 bit rate you still supposedly have music at near CD quality. If you place a high value on the music on your computer you should at least keep a copy of at an even higher bitrate. There is probably some difference of opinion as what is best. I use 192 bit but some use 320. You are probably aware that many home CD players or automotive CD players will not play CDs burned in the 'data' format. Players designed to play MP3 or WMA files will provide information regarding this somewhere on the player.

If you are using CDs for hardcopy backup you can opt for DVDs and put even more tracks on the disc.

Using gmail, I have been able to send one track at 128 bit through email. It does go faster at a smaller bit rate, but depending upon one's hear there is a noticeable dropoff as the bit rate goes down.