Wow (recording)

This would mean that the stylus would have to travel faster over the warped section as it must displace both in and out of the plane of the disc.

For example, a change in the angular velocity of the capstan, or dragging of the tape within a reel or audio cassette shell.

It adds a roughness to the sound that is not typical of wow and flutter, and damping devices or heavy rollers are sometimes employed on professional tape machines to prevent it.

Methods of digital signal processing have been developed that correct wow and flutter by tracking various spurious things on the tape or film, which can be re-purposed as timing references.

The software Capstan by Celemony analyzes the already digitized musical material and uses varispeed playback to eliminate wow and flutter.