Is this guy using fuzz, distortion, of overdrive?

[Lord Trau]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY9eTihrKM0 from about 1:32

I'm trying to learn the difference. I'm going to guess distortion.

Fuzz is easy for me to identify, but can you guys point me to any clips of an actual bass tube amp that is overdriven? A clip of just the overdriven bass tube rather than say a clip of a song where the bassist is using it.

[bigchiefbc]

To me that's overdrive. It sounds pretty organic and dynamic. I don't think its tube-overdrive though. It definitely sounds like some sort of solid-state or fet-based overdrive.

I think of distortion as being more crunchy, scooped and biting.

[Gonzo476]

I think it's an OD pedal. Great song BTW.

[kjs]

I hear fuzz: dynamic compression, chainsaw sound. It sounds very tweaked...could be an overdrive though...there isn't necessarilly a lot of tone left though, so i feel like it's a light gain on a fuzz with a lot of wet blend. Orrr a really intense overdrive with a lot of tone just sucked out.

[Gonzo476]

Originally Posted by kjs

I hear fuzz: dynamic compression, chainsaw sound. It sounds very tweaked...could be an overdrive though...there isn't necessarilly a lot of tone left though, so i feel like it's a light gain on a fuzz with a lot of wet blend. Orrr a really intense overdrive with a lot of tone just sucked out.

Downloaded the song and heard it a couple of times. I think it's fuzz, not OD.

[takfar]

not OD, imo. just listening to the youtube video, I have trouble deciding whether it's distortion or a light fuzz, but I'm leaning on the fuzz side.

then again, it could be anything. :\

[Illbay]

I thought that "fuzz," "distortion," and "overdrive" were essentially aspects of the same thing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distortion_(guitar)

I think people have tended to use the terms to designate DEGREES of the same thing: distortion. But the defnition of where one leaves off and the other begins is arbitrary.

[Wespe]

It's pretty scooped out to make any difference between one or the other.

[takfar]

Originally Posted by Illbay

I thought that "fuzz," "distortion," and "overdrive" were essentially aspects of the same thing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distortion_(guitar)

Afaik, overdrive stems from the effect that tube amps cranked beyond normal gain range would make, while fuzz originated in people poking holes in speakers in order to get a different sound.

So, yea, they are both "distortion" as in modified (clipped) versions of an original sound. The difference between "OD", "Distortion" and "fuzz", afaik, is not only in intensity but also in how they "clip" the sound after a certain limit (soft/hard clipping), and how they compress the sound to achieve distortion.

[Lord Trau]

Thanks for all your replies, guys.

I have another question, and if it has already been answered, feel free to direct me to the appropriate thread.

Is it common to use more than one of these effects at the same time? What is the general result, if there is one?

[skulletwhip]

Originally Posted by Lord Trau

Thanks for all your replies, guys.

I have another question, and if it has already been answered, feel free to direct me to the appropriate thread.

Is it common to use more than one of these effects at the same time? What is the general result, if there is one?

Yes it is common. Using two distortions, or overdrive into a fuzz can result in some cool sounds, although not all gain pedals sound good togrther. It takes trial and error, at least for me it did.

[WyrdoBass]

It's the amazing Fuztortiodrive.

[moose23]

Fuzz.

[Valerus]

i'm so certain that's fuzz. just really, really light.

[Lord Trau]

Hm yeah. If this makes any sense, fuzz, to me, sounds like it has sharper "angles", like it's blockier between notes.