VCF LABORATORY & BODE ANALYZER
BODE PLOT (MAGNITUDE RESPONSE in dB)
OUTPUT SPECTRUM (REAL-TIME FFT)
Filter Transfer Functions
In a VCF lab, we describe a filter using its Magnitude Response. This tells us the Gain (A) of the system at every frequency.
|H(f)| = 1 / √(1 + (f / fc)2n)
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1. Cutoff Frequency (fc)
The frequency where the power of the signal is reduced by half (-3dB). In our simulator, this is the point where the red line starts its steep drop.
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2. Resonance (Q)
The "Quality Factor" defines the damping of the filter. Mathematically, a high Q creates a peak in the response by moving the system's "poles" closer to the imaginary axis in the S-Plane.
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3. Slope (Roll-off)
Standard filters are measured in decibels per octave. A 4-pole filter (common in Moog synths) drops at 24dB/octave, meaning every time the frequency doubles, the volume drops by about 16 times.
Note: The Bode Plot is essential because it allows us to visualize "Stop-bands" (frequencies we block) and "Pass-bands" (frequencies we keep) at a single glance.