The energy collected from a microphone is too small to drive a speaker Loudspeaker - takes the signal from the amps and converts it to sound waves. Show tapes consisted of various cuts of tape spliced together with tape and a prayer. The computer allows us to collect a sound or sample it and convert it to digital code. This code can then be manipulator in many ways and then recorded back to a tape for playback or to an electronic unit for playback directly to the amps and speakers. Many professional and Broadway shows use DAW's to produce the sound and playback.
Some designers work in digital and then record to compact disc for playback.
MIDI musical instrument digital interface - a communications protocol which allows the computer to control the synthesizer. MIDI allows the 2 devices to interact in ways not possible before. The possibilities are endless, including lighting Summary Lighting and sound have been lumped together for a while because they have both dealt with electricity. Lately, sound has struck out on its own. Lighting was one of the later elements to be added to the theatre and sound even more recently.