quantizing

Quantizing is the process of constraining a continuous range of values to a discrete set.

In digital audio and music production, quantizing typically means snapping recorded notes or beats to a rhythmic grid, correcting timing imperfections so that performances align precisely with the beat: I spent an hour quantizing the drum track to tighten up the groove.

In signal processing and computing, quantizing converts analog signals to digital by mapping continuous amplitudes to fixed numerical values, which inevitably introduces some loss of information.