Erase is the action of deleting data or audio from a storage medium. In the specific context of analog magnetic tape, this is achieved via the Erase Head, which is physically positioned before the Record Head in the tape path. As the tape moves, this head subjects the magnetic coating to a powerful, high-frequency ultrasonic signal that scrambles the magnetic domains, effectively returning the tape to a neutral, silent state before new audio is laid down. Without this step, new recordings would be continuously mixed with the old ones, resulting in a chaotic sound. In the digital realm, erasing refers to deleting data blocks on hard drives or solid-state memory, effectively marking that storage space as available to be overwritten by new information.