Basic Distortion Operation - Source Audio Aftershock Bass Distortion User Manual

Basic Distortion Operation

Distortion is a type of effect that works by distorting the input signal. Distortion can occur in a variety
of ways and results in a wide variety of outputs. This table shows a simple representation of what
some different types of distortion look like.
Clean signal: With no distortion, the guitar
signal passes through the circuit unaffected. In
this example, a pure sine tone is used as a test
signal.
Tube/transistor saturation (soft clipping):
Tube and transistor amplifiers enter a
saturation state when overdriven and start to
distort the shape of the signal. This involves
some soft clipping at the peaks and valleys of
the signal, and may be symmetrical or
asymmetrical in shape.
Diode clipping (hard clipping): Diodes can
clamp or limit the signal to a maximum level.
Overshoot: Depending on the characteristics
of diodes and transistors in the circuit, the
signal may exceed its normal clipping point
before settling, which is known as overshoot.
SA246
Asymmetrical:
Symmetrical:
Symmetrical hard clipping: The signal clips
equally on the top and bottom.
Asymmetrical hard clipping: The signal clips at
different levels on the top and bottom.
Aftershock Bass Distortion User's Guide 8