a.setSmooth() prevents strobe artifacts by exponentially averaging consecutive FFT frames in Hydra

When audio-reactive visuals update each frame from raw FFT values, rapid amplitude spikes produce flickering that can enter strobe territory. a.setSmooth(v) smooths the interpretation of the sound: a value of 0 is no smoothing at all — a raw input — while a value of 1 is so smooth nothing happens at all. The guide suggests trying a.setSmooth(.85). The trade-off is responsiveness: higher smoothing damps sudden transients, so the visual reacts more gently but lags behind the audio. Smoothing is a safety knob for live performance where an un-smoothed reaction to sharp transients can flicker dangerously.

Examples

a.setSmooth(0.85)
a.setBins(4)
osc(20,0.1,2).rotate(()=>a.fft[0]).out()

Compare the rotation jitter with a.setSmooth(0) vs a.setSmooth(0.85).

Assessment

Set smoothing to 0 and clap sharply; observe the visual response. Then set to 0.85 and clap again. Describe the difference in visual response and explain why an un-smoothed reaction could be dangerous at a live performance.