overdrive/distortion tips

cebec · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 2:13 pm Post subject: overdrive/distortion tips

i'm still hanging on to my distortion pedals since I really like the range, grit, and hands-on-ness of an analog pedal.

however, i'm always trying to come up with another way to shape or distort an audio signal in the digital realm. besides chaining shapers or just adding MORE of something, e.g., more gain, more bass/mid/treble, i'm stumped as to any other implementations or tweaks.

i've looked at Rob's OD patch and he uses a technique that I don't understand just by staring and following cables around. and even though I have the patch, i don't know where it came from or where a description of it's workings might be.

can anyone offer patches or tips on achieving different types of both harmonic and nonlinear distortion and overdrive using the G2s shapers or other less obvious modules? anything out of the ordinary is most welcome!

if you come up with something, post it over in the building blocks section Wink

thanks in advance...

mosc · Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 7:17 pm Post subject:

The frequency shifter and the pitch shifter modules are fabulous and these are effects you won't find in stomp boxes. The ring modulator (multiplier) is great too. Be creative, just put stuff in and play with the knobs. You'll discover great stuff.

If you put monophonic audio into the pitch follower module, it works really well.

mother misty · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 2:25 am Post subject:

I'm really interested in this stuff aswell, especially harmonic distortion... anybody got some tips?

ik · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:32 am Post subject:

mother misty · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:30 am Post subject:

thanks ik!

(some new stuff to try out tonight too much coffee

)

ik · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:21 am Post subject:

cebec · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 12:26 pm Post subject:

hi!
could you post some examples? maybe in the building blocks section? the math is over my head, i'm afraid...

ik · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 2:19 pm Post subject:

davep · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:05 pm Post subject:

A few tips:

1. Try using different types of distortion on different sections of the audio spectrum - run the signal through a multimode filter and connect the HP, BP, and LP outs to three different types of distortion circuits (maybe a shaper module for the lows, an overdrive for the mids, and a clipper with feedback mixer for the highs) and then mix all of these back together.

2. In addition to controlling the amount of distortion (like the the amount control on an overdrive module), add a crossfader to control the MIX of distorted vs. clean signal.

3. Play around with asymetrical distortion - where the positive half of the wave gets distorted differently from the negative half. To do this, you can use a set of diode modules to split the upper & lower halves of the wave, or connect the audio wave to both the audio input and the control input of a panner module. This will "pan" the positive half to one output and the negative half to the other output. Try leaving one half undistorted and running the other half through a shaper or whatever, then mix the two halves back together.

4. Place the distortion in different points along the audio path - the CVA, the poly area, before & after a phaser, before & after the filter, etc. One neat idea for making a nicely distorted 24dB filter - use a pair of 12dB filters in series, and put the distortion in the middle, between the two filters.

I made some NM1 example patches a while ago, which should be in an archive. Check out "EXT UpToEleven.pch" and some called '12dB filter flavors' and '24dB filter flavors'.

jksuperstar · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:21 pm Post subject:

On a related note, is there a way to selectively filter only even or only odd harmonics? Much of the "Tube Warmth" comes from a fundamental difference in the way tubes handle odd harmonics.

blue hell · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:51 pm Post subject:

blue hell · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:01 pm Post subject:

Some other things to try :

A string oscillator can be used as a resonator.

A percussion osc trigered at audio rates gives a rich spectrum, read : nice dirt.

An oscillator set to zero Hz with audio connected to a phase or linear FM input .

Jan.

mother misty · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:41 am Post subject:

I was wondering...
Would it be possible to make something like a 'harmonic splitter'?
(a module with an input and several outputs for the harmonics)
Would be very usefull (maybe something for the whishlist Smile

davep · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 12:57 pm Post subject:

Chet · Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2005 10:14 am Post subject:

Here's an FX patch that duplicates the Saturator module in NI Reaktor. When the input is zero, the gain is 1. As the input increases to 1, the gain is reduced in a linear manner from 1 to 1/2. As the input increases past 1, the output remains limited to 1/2.

ReaktorSaturator.pch2

Description:

FX patch that duplicates the Saturator module in NI Reaktor.

Download (listen)

Filename:

ReaktorSaturator.pch2

Filesize:

1.25 KB

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1535 Time(s)

cebec · Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:50 pm Post subject:

Is this patch 605.3 % for the VA Cycles and 7.0 % for Memory for anyone else!?

blue hell · Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2005 1:18 pm Post subject:

Yes it is for me as well .. nice one for Clavia ...

Not withstanding the overload it does seem to work ...

Jan.