1. Most computers contain sound cards, an expansion board that enables a computer to manipulate and output sounds from a CD player or through speakers. Most sound cards support Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI,) a standard for representing music electronically. In addition, most sound cards are Sound Blaster-compatible, which means that they can process commands written for a Sound Blaster card, the de facto standard for PC sound.
The two basic methods used by sound cards to translate digital data into analog sounds are FM Synthesis (mimics different musical instruments according to built-in formulas) and Wavetable Synthesis (produces more accurate sound by using recordings from actual instruments.