Difference between revisions of "Overdrive"
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There's no hard line that separates overdrive from [[distortion]] from [[fuzz]]. They all kind of hang out in this nebulous world of spillover from a auditory standpoint. If looking at the manner in which the signal is manipulated to get the "clipped signal", it might be easier to arrive at a place where the distinction between the terms makes a difference. | There's no hard line that separates overdrive from [[distortion]] from [[fuzz]]. They all kind of hang out in this nebulous world of spillover from a auditory standpoint. If looking at the manner in which the signal is manipulated to get the "clipped signal", it might be easier to arrive at a place where the distinction between the terms makes a difference. | ||
| − | Overdrive, as we understand the definition, is a clipped instrument signal, typically with only one half (the bottom half) of the waveform of the music signal being clipped. This | + | Overdrive, as we understand the definition, is a clipped instrument signal, typically with only one half (the bottom half) of the waveform of the music signal being clipped. This tends to result in only even-order harmonics being generated. Also characterized by a "soft" type of clipping applied to sine wave with the hard edges of the "square" of the clipped signal end up being rounded off as opposed to hard-angled (when viewed in an oscilloscope). |
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| + | Overdrive tends to be the most subtle of the three (overdrive, fuzz, and distortion), ranging from barely imperceptible (for example, when an [[Orange Squeezer]] compressor is applied to an electric guitar signal) to very pronounced (a Fender Tweed 5E3 with all the knobs turned to "10"). | ||
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| + | LET US BE CLEAR: Overdrive, for all intents and purposes, IS THE RESULT OF A FAILURE, whether intentional or accidental, of the electronics or of the physical components of the signal chain. | ||
==Contrast Guide== | ==Contrast Guide== | ||
Revision as of 21:50, 6 October 2017
There's no hard line that separates overdrive from distortion from fuzz. They all kind of hang out in this nebulous world of spillover from a auditory standpoint. If looking at the manner in which the signal is manipulated to get the "clipped signal", it might be easier to arrive at a place where the distinction between the terms makes a difference.
Overdrive, as we understand the definition, is a clipped instrument signal, typically with only one half (the bottom half) of the waveform of the music signal being clipped. This tends to result in only even-order harmonics being generated. Also characterized by a "soft" type of clipping applied to sine wave with the hard edges of the "square" of the clipped signal end up being rounded off as opposed to hard-angled (when viewed in an oscilloscope).
Overdrive tends to be the most subtle of the three (overdrive, fuzz, and distortion), ranging from barely imperceptible (for example, when an Orange Squeezer compressor is applied to an electric guitar signal) to very pronounced (a Fender Tweed 5E3 with all the knobs turned to "10").
LET US BE CLEAR: Overdrive, for all intents and purposes, IS THE RESULT OF A FAILURE, whether intentional or accidental, of the electronics or of the physical components of the signal chain.
Contrast Guide
- Overdrive
- Minor waveform squaring-and-rounding from over-amplification, Effects usually only applied to one half of a sound's sine wave. Usually only through one or two gain stages.
- Distortion
- Major waveform squaring-and-rounding from over-amplification. Effects usually applied to both halves of a sound's sine wave. Usually cascaded through multiple gain stages.
- Fuzz
- Major waveform squaring without rounding due to diode clipping of waveform. Effect applied to both halves of a sound's sine wave. Usually only occurs through a single gain stage.
Overdrive Pedals
- Maxon OD-9
- Ibanez TS-9
- Boss BD-2 Blues Driver
- Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
Amps known for Overdrive
- Fender 5E3 Tweed "Deluxe"
- Fender 5F1 Tweed "Champ"
- Fender 5F6A Tweed "Bassman"
- Marshall JTM-45
- Marshall JTM-45/100
