Uploaded May 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Beginner's video.
In this video I talk about potentiometer taper, which is the relationship between the resistance of a potentiometer and its rotation.
Most non-audio potentiometers have what is called linear taper. The resistance changes in proportion to the degree of rotation. For example, at 50% of rotation you would have 50% of the total resistance.
Audio taper has a small change in resistance in the first half of rotation and a larger change in the second half.
To determine the taper, we connect an ohmmeter between one end of the potentiometer and the wiper (the part that moves). We then rotate the potentiometer halfway. If the ohmmeter reads about half of the total resistance, we have linear taper.
Beginner's video.
In this video I talk about potentiometer taper, which is the relationship between the resistance of a potentiometer and its rotation.
Most non-audio potentiometers have what is called linear taper. The resistance changes in proportion to the degree of rotation. For example, at 50% of rotation you would have 50% of the total resistance.
Audio taper has a small change in resistance in the first half of rotation and a larger change in the second half.
To determine the taper, we connect an ohmmeter between one end of the potentiometer and the wiper (the part that moves). We then rotate the potentiometer halfway. If the ohmmeter reads about half of the total resistance, we have linear taper.
