Digital recordings take that analog signal and convert it into a digital representation of the sound, which is essentially a series of numbers for digital software to interpret. After the analog signal is digitalized, the recording can be copied and placed onto a compact disc, hard drive, or streamed online.

How is an analogue sound wave converted to digital?

An analogue sound wave is picked up by a microphone and sent to an Analogue to Digital (ADC) converter in the form of analogue electrical signals. The ADC converts the electrical signals into digital values which can be stored on a computer. Once in a digital format you can edit sounds with programs such as audacity.

What converts analog sound to digital?

An analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) converts the analogue signal from a microphone to a digital signal for the computer to process.