When you get into synthesizer music eventually you will come across the analog versus digital debate. You may not get a clear answer on which is best because some artists are partial to one or the other flavor. Especially if you run into an old skool cat you will usually find that they prefer analog synths.
But if you know the difference between the two you can decide which is better: analog versus digital in a particular situation. One is not better than the other, they are just slightly different.
The main difference is the recording method. Analog records a continuous sound wave whereas digital records the sound based upon numbers from 0 to 9 where 0 is a lowpoint on the soundwave, and 9 is the highpoint on the sound wave. Rather than making a wave shape like analog the sound looks more like stairs or a bar graph.
What happens is analog records EVERYTHING where as digital music cuts out noise based upon the modified mathematical wave configured based upon the numbers. This actually gives digital a clearer crisper sound because it cuts out background noise and the small stuff such as diaphragm oscillation or that static humming sound.
In conclusion, analog is best suited for live shows, for a grungier real sound, or when you want to pickup subtle noises. In a word, analog is the RAW sound, where digital is the FILTERED sound.
An example of using analog may be if you want to recreate a sound similar to years passed such as the 70s or 80s, want to make an 8-bit sound, or are looking for a harder edged rock sound. Digital will work for most general purposes and will give you the best sound quality, and easiest to save to computer for modification.
