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ODB-3 distortion users

Discussion in 'Effects [BG]' started by KSDbass, Dec 22, 2005.


  1. Dec 22, 2005 #1
    KSDbass

    KSDbass

    Mar 25, 2005
    atlanta
    have you guys ever noticed that if you play too quietly, the pedal forgets to distort the signal even if its on? and have you ever noticed if you plays too fast the pedal doesn't distort the signal even if it's on?
     
  5. Dec 22, 2005 #2
    tplyons

    tplyons

    Apr 6, 2003
    Madison, NJ
    Volume has something to do with the way effects distort, speed doesn't.

    The signal coming from your bass is a sin wave essentially. The louder you play the more amplitude you end up with (height of the wave). Distortion works by clipping at a certain threshhold and if your amplitude doesn't reach that threshhold, it won't distort. If it barely reaches that threshhold, it will distort only a little. If you play really loud, you result in hard clipping, which is really gritty distortion.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Dec 22, 2005 #3
    smo

    smo

    Nov 3, 2005
    A Sandgropers' City, Australia
    actually.....no. I haven't.
    But you'll have to qualify that;
    Playing too quietly - do you mean turning down the volume on your bass?
    I've never had a problem with it not distorting when playing fast either.
    Could this be a battery prob on either your pedal or bass?
     
  14. Dec 22, 2005 #4
    smo

    smo

    Nov 3, 2005
    A Sandgropers' City, Australia
    :D tplyons - beat me to it!
     
  18. Dec 22, 2005 #5
    tplyons

    tplyons

    Apr 6, 2003
    Madison, NJ
    Like I have anything better to do ;)
     
  22. Dec 22, 2005 #6
    crapusername

    crapusername

    Sep 26, 2005
    North Kent.UK
    endorsing artist: Dean guitars, Marshall , Rotosound strings
    don't forget that the ODB3 is an overdrive effect rather than a distortion, and therefore responds to playing strength, so the harder you play, the more "dirt" you get, and often when you play faster you'll probably play with a lighter touch meaning less grit added.

    sorry if this means I'm being pedantic, but i find the characteristics of distortion and overdrive are completely different to my ears.
     
  26. Dec 22, 2005 #7
    IcedEarthWOM

    IcedEarthWOM

    Oct 2, 2005
    Your damn well right: distortion clips the same no matter what you instrument/playing vol, whereas Overdrive is meant to model amp tubes (without the actual amp or tubes). You can use a true "overdrive" as a booster by setting the gain to min and the level to whatever level you need.

    That's also why distortion sounds "grittier" and also why I love distortion. Oh, and from my experience Fuzz falls into the Distortion catagory....
     
  31. Dec 22, 2005 #8
    KSDbass

    KSDbass

    Mar 25, 2005
    atlanta
    I can understand the volume part, and by volume i mean playing quieter, not turning the volume down, and it has been a while since I've changed my batteries... I'll change them and get back on it, since I know you guys are dying from the suspense :bag:
     
  35. Dec 22, 2005 #9
    IcedEarthWOM

    IcedEarthWOM

    Oct 2, 2005
    We mean the absolute volume coming out the output jack of the bass. Generally when you play fast your attack strength goes down. One way of correcting this is to stick a compressor right after the bass. Set it up so that it's just noticable when you play slow. Then when you play fast and you attack strength decreases the compressor will make up for it :D