Spectrum and spectrogram

Open frequency analysis

Left-click FFT for the settings menu. Use the mouse wheel over the toolbar button to cycle through the display modes:

Label	Display
FFT-	Waveforms
FFT+	Waveforms and spectrum
FFT	Spectrum

Spectrum controls

Spectrum view of the example sounds.

FFT size chooses the analysis window. A longer window helps separate close frequencies but covers a longer interval of the sound. A shorter window follows changes over shorter intervals.

The menu also contains the dB display limits, Avg / decay, Peaks with its decay control, Stroke, Fill, smoothing and bars options. Start with the basic spectrum, then change one display setting at a time so you can see what it contributes.

Use Show Datas to display frequency information and Follow mouse to choose whether that information follows the pointer.

FFT settings menu

The native FFT settings menu.

The FFT menu groups the spectrum controls on the left and spectrogram controls on the right.

FFT menu parameter reference

Labels such as Normal, Full range, Over and 2D view show the current state; clicking them switches to their alternative. Curve controls are available when curves are visible, and spectrogram controls when Spectro is enabled.

Menu / section	Parameter	What it changes
FFT settings	FFT size	Analysis window length: larger sizes separate closer frequencies but cover more time.
FFT settings	Tilt	Enable frequency-dependent weighting of the displayed spectrum.
FFT settings	Tilt value	Adjust that weighting; this changes the displayed balance between low and high frequencies.
FFT settings	Window (for example Hann (dft))	Choose the FFT window function, which changes the trade-off between peak width and spectral leakage.
FFT settings	Sub min (for example ~21.5 Hz)	Choose the low-frequency boundary. Larger FFT sizes help resolve the lowest frequencies.
FFT settings	Grid	Choose Off, Simple or Detail guides, with or without dB labels.
Curves	Normal / Multi-Rate	Switch between the normal curve analysis and analysis using multiple FFT scales across the frequency range.
Curves	Full range / Bass focus	Trade upper-frequency coverage for finer low-frequency analysis where the selected FFT size supports it.
Curves	min	Set the lower dB limit of the curve display.
Curves	max	Set the upper dB limit of the curve display.
Curves	Avg / decay	Control how quickly the displayed curve falls toward lower incoming levels; higher values follow changes faster.
Curves	Peaks	Show an additional peak curve.
Curves	Decay	Adjust how quickly that peak curve falls.
Curves	Stroke	Draw the spectrum outline.
Curves	Fill	Fill the area beneath the spectrum.
Curves	Optimize redux	Reduce drawing detail at high frequencies while retaining the maximum represented in each screen-pixel region.
Smooth:	On / off	Enable frequency smoothing of the curves.
Smooth:	amt	Adjust the smoothing band grouping.
Smooth:	octave	Set an approximately octave-wide smoothing grouping for the unzoomed range.
Smooth:	1/3 oct	Set an approximately third-octave smoothing grouping for the unzoomed range.
Bars	On / off	Use the bar presentation.
Bars	Nb bars	Choose how many frequency bands are displayed.
Bars	octave	Set approximately one bar per octave for the unzoomed range.
Bars	1/3 oct	Set approximately one bar per third octave for the unzoomed range.
Bars	Color	Enable individual bar coloring.
Bars	Mix	Blend that coloring with the source's fill color.
Collisions:	On / off	Show frequency-overlap highlights across enabled sounds.
Collisions:	Scale	Adjust detection sensitivity. Higher values reveal weaker overlaps.
Collisions:	Tilt	Adjust frequency weighting of the overlap display; higher values emphasize higher frequencies.
More:	Stack FFT	In stack mode, put spectra in separate lanes instead of overlaying them.
More:	Zoom FFT	Let the zoom controls affect the spectrum's displayed frequency range.
More:	Show Datas	Show frequency, note and level information at the pointer's position.
More:	Follow mouse	Place that information near the pointer instead of at a fixed position.
More:	Layers/Sum	In combined waveform + FFT view and layers mode, choose a sum waveform instead of the individual waveform layers.
Curves	Inspect Max	Accumulate the maximum spectrum for inspection. Toggling it clears the captured FFT data.
Spectrogram	Spectro	Enable the time–frequency image.
Spectrogram	Only / Over	Show only the spectrogram, or overlay it with spectrum curves.
Spectrogram	Alpha	Adjust image opacity when curves are also displayed.
Spectrogram	Bias	Change the intensity-to-color contrast of the image.
Spectrogram	Gain	Adjust the intensity used to color the image.
Spectrogram	Scroll	Switch from the fixed synchronized presentation to a scrolling image where supported by the current view.
Spectrogram	RT mode	Show the latest FFT image frame instead of the accumulated history.
Spectrogram	Y	Choose the image's frequency resolution. Higher settings use more processing.
Spectrogram	Horizontal / H invert / Vertical / V invert	Choose image orientation and direction.
Spectrogram	Map	Choose the intensity color map.
Spectrogram	Snd hue	In individual sound view, tint the map with that sound's hue.
Spectrogram	Overlaps	Select FFT overlap. The effective update spacing also depends on the active spectrogram mode.
Sharp mode	Normal / Sharp	Enable the Sharp spectrogram. Use 2D view for this analysis.
Sharp mode	Full range / Bass focus	Favor low-frequency resolution at the expense of upper-frequency coverage.
Sharp mode	Algorithm selector (for example MultiRate II)	Choose the Sharp analysis method.
Sharp mode	Lines (for example Lines Off)	Choose the Sharp line presentation.
Sharp mode	Phase off / True Freqs	In compatible Sharp methods and line modes, refine frequency placement using phase differences.
Isometric	2D view / 3D iso	Switch between the flat image and a raised spectrogram surface.
Isometric	normal / freq inv / H inv / both inv	Reverse the frequency direction, history direction or both.
Isometric	no light / light A / light B / light C	Choose surface lighting.
Isometric	mix	Adjust the contribution of the selected lighting.
Isometric	speed	Adjust how quickly the isometric history advances.
Isometric	angle	Adjust the viewing angle.
Isometric	height	Scale the surface height.
Isometric	smooth	Smooth changes in surface height over time.

Frequency collisions

Native collision display during playback: colored vertical highlights follow spectral overlap between the enabled sounds.

Open FFT → Collisions: and enable On while comparing several enabled sounds. Colored vertical highlights show where their frequency content overlaps during playback. Use the sound buttons' right-click toggle to include or exclude a source from the comparison.

Scale adjusts detection sensitivity; increase it to make weaker overlaps more visible. Tilt changes the frequency weighting, with higher values giving more emphasis to high frequencies. The example uses Scale 4.00 and Tilt 0.50.

An overlap is a cue to inspect the sounds together, not an automatic indication that the mix needs correction. Compare their timing and listen before deciding whether to change them.

FFT bars

Native FFT Bars during playback, with 48 bars and per-bar coloring enabled.

Open FFT → Bars and enable On to show the spectrum as frequency bands. Nb bars chooses the number of bands; octave and 1/3 oct offer approximate octave-based counts for the full, unzoomed range. The example uses 48 bars.

Enable Color for per-bar coloring and adjust Mix to change its contribution. Use fewer bars for a broad overview and more bars to inspect finer differences. The FFT size still controls the underlying analysis window.

Spectrogram

Spectrogram of a repeating kick example.

In the FFT menu, enable Spectro to view frequency content across time.

Control	Purpose
Only	Show the spectrogram without the spectrum curves.
Alpha	Adjust spectrogram opacity when curves are also shown.
Bias and Gain	Adjust the intensity presentation.
Scroll	Choose a scrolling presentation.
Map	Choose the color map.
Snd hue	Tint with the sound's hue in the individual sound view.

Try a sustained sound followed by a short transient to compare how each appears across time. When investigating a detail, keep the time interval and channel selection consistent between views.

For Sharp mode and the raised 3D presentation, see Advanced spectrogram views. For a difference spectrum between two sounds, see Delta comparison.