Overdrive vs. Distortion ?
- Thread starter MVI
- Start date
Chace
New member
Re: Overdrive vs. Distortion ?
Overdrive is different from distortion in that it is designed to compliment your amp's lead and rhythm channels. It boosts the signal for increased saturation and more sustain..
Distortion in its simplest terms can be described as anything that disrupts or changes your tone. Think of distortion pedals as those simulating the distortion or hi-gain channel of your amp. This means they often simulate tube sounds or amp stack sounds and offer full tone shaping capabilities - hi, mid and low. Distortion pedals offer more gain than overdrive pedals and sound more amp-like than fuzz pedals..
Overdrive is different from distortion in that it is designed to compliment your amp's lead and rhythm channels. It boosts the signal for increased saturation and more sustain..
Distortion in its simplest terms can be described as anything that disrupts or changes your tone. Think of distortion pedals as those simulating the distortion or hi-gain channel of your amp. This means they often simulate tube sounds or amp stack sounds and offer full tone shaping capabilities - hi, mid and low. Distortion pedals offer more gain than overdrive pedals and sound more amp-like than fuzz pedals..
Guitar Toad
Toadily Stratologist
Re: Overdrive vs. Distortion ?
I would say check out this thread. Tell me if it helps.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=34976
I would say check out this thread. Tell me if it helps.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=34976
Last edited:
benjaturner
New member
Re: Overdrive vs. Distortion ?
I don't want to confuse things further, but I've read a lot on hard-clipping diodes and soft-clipping diodes, (haven't understood most of it but I have read it). It all comes back to the shape of the waves I think. Distortion is much closer to a square wave, though not as close as fuzz. Of the three overdrive is the least square, hence the use of descriptive words such as smooth and buttery. Smoothness relates back to initial curve of the wave. So overdrive, distortion and fuzz can all be thought of as different progressive stages in the transition between a curved wave signal and a square one, I think.
Hope this helps, maybe someone who knows more than I do could either back me up on this or set everyone straight. I hate to be the cause of a mass misunderstanding on this subject. But I think I'm at least 45%/55% right, maybe.
I don't want to confuse things further, but I've read a lot on hard-clipping diodes and soft-clipping diodes, (haven't understood most of it but I have read it). It all comes back to the shape of the waves I think. Distortion is much closer to a square wave, though not as close as fuzz. Of the three overdrive is the least square, hence the use of descriptive words such as smooth and buttery. Smoothness relates back to initial curve of the wave. So overdrive, distortion and fuzz can all be thought of as different progressive stages in the transition between a curved wave signal and a square one, I think.
Hope this helps, maybe someone who knows more than I do could either back me up on this or set everyone straight. I hate to be the cause of a mass misunderstanding on this subject. But I think I'm at least 45%/55% right, maybe.
