ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Voltage-controlled filter

Okay kiddo, let's talk about something called a voltage-controlled filter (VCF). Just like how you can adjust the knobs on a radio to change the sound, a VCF is something that changes the sound of a musical instrument. But instead of knobs, it uses something called voltage.

Imagine you have a bunch of notes playing on a keyboard. Sometimes the notes might sound too harsh or bright, kind of like a bee buzzing. A VCF can help make those notes sound smoother or softer, like a butterfly fluttering. It does this by filtering out certain frequencies of sound.

Now, the VCF has a special input that takes in voltage. Voltage is like the power that flows through wires to make stuff happen. When you change the voltage going into the VCF, it changes how much filtering it does on the sound.

So, let's say you have a keyboard that's hooked up to a VCF. You play some notes and you want to make them sound softer. You could turn a knob to change the filtering, but with a VCF you could also send in a different voltage signal to change the filter. It's like using magic to make the sound different!

Overall, a voltage-controlled filter is a tool that musicians use to change the sound of their instruments in a cool and creative way. And while it might sound complicated, it's really just using electricity to make music sound better. Cool, huh?