What does distorion do to you signal?

[Rock-Bassman]

Sorry if it's kinda in the wikki... I know what it sounds like but not what it does to you signal. Does it add overtones or is it taking your signal and splitting it or... you get my idea.

[bigchiefbc]

Originally Posted by Rock-Bassman

Sorry if it's kinda in the wikki... I know what it sounds like but not what it does to you signal. Does it add overtones or is it taking your signal and splitting it or... you get my idea.

It is taking the waveform of your signal (basically a sine wave) and deforms it in different ways. The most common types of distortions work by clipping the peaks to different degrees.

[Lobsterdeth]

It makes it go "GRRGRGRRRFFFFFF."

(takes your waveform and clips out the ends, yeah)

[Jimbob Jones]

This pretty much explains it:



Notice that all that changes is that the tops of the peaks are chopped off. The sides are still curved, like in the clean signal.

Hope that helps!

[Rock-Bassman]

Thanks, thats pretty much what I was looking for

[sonic assassin]

clipping, compression (which will make overtones more apparent), and some harmonics can be added.

some of them will simulate amps and have EQ and compression built in.

[niftydog]

Clipping effectively adds harmonics. Then depending on how the clipping is applied and how it is filtered will change the character of the sound by emphasising different frequency bands or groups of harmonics.

[BassJunkie730]

makes it awsome.

[Toasted]

High quality examples in this thread. Also remember that most distortions have some volume boost so in terms of the waveform the amplitude is increased.

[Rock-Bassman]

Originally Posted by BassJunkie730

makes it awsome.

Ya bro!!!