Electric Guitar Distortion and Overdrive
Distortion and overdrive are staple guitar effects used by guitar players playing any style of music. Distortion, overdrive or fuzz effect is accomplished electronically by compressing and/or clipping the input signal which effectively will add sustain and additional harmonics and overtones to the signal, thus creating a richer sound. The distortion effect in general is used across a wide range of musical genres, from the subtle overdrive use in traditional blues to the hard-edged distortion featured in noise music, hardcore punk, industrial, grunge, and metal.
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Distortion effect was accidentally discovered in the early years of guitar amplification. Amplifiers with low input impedance and low wattage power output tend to break out when fully cranked. In this manner, the broken preamp is overdriven and thus produces a distorted sound. Eventually it was developed that guitar amplifier manufacturers were able to incorporate this effect into their amplifiers with dedicated controls and switches for playing options. In later years, distortion and overdrive effects were achieved through electronics and ''Jimi Hendrix ''is known to be one of the first guitarists to use outboard effects designed or modified by guitar tech ''Roger Mayer'', and is thus credited with the birth of effect pedals and stompboxes.
Distortion or Overdrive
As seasoned guitar players well know, overdrive effect has a distinctly different sound than a distortion effect. For the benefit of those who are new to this topic and for those who are seeking some advice on whether to opt for a distortion or an overdrive effect, this simple opinion might be of help. In general, a distortion, overdrive or fuzz may sound similar. But the father of all these effects is the distortion. It has a high gain effect that sounds bright and more aggressive than the overdrive. High gain distortion complements hard rock and metal type of music well, while overdrive produces a subtle fat, round and warm distortion like effect ideal for a bluesy kind of music. Some high gain overdrive that almost sound as near as distortion like the popular ''Ibanez Tube Screamer'' along with ''ProCo Rat ''was among the favorite effects in the 80's for rock n' roll and heavy metal music. A ''fuzz tone'' is also a distorted audio signal but comes with a 'trebley' and kind of muddy kind of effect which was popular tone in the 60's.
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You May Like These Pedals
* '''Distortion Pedals'''
** '' '''OCD Distortion Pedal ''''''''-''' Classic sounding distortion boutique pedal allows you to sense each overtone with a controllable feedback.
** '''''Boss MDstring guitar.
** '''''Metal Master Distortion Pedal ''-''' Made by ''Digitech'', metal heads will surely dig its extreme distortion effect.
** '''''DigiTech DF''' Seven of the world's most famous distortion and overdrive effects such as Boss' Metal Zone and DS1 Distortion, TS9 Tube Screamer, BIg Muff, ProCo Rat, Digitech's Metal Master and DOD preamp Overdrive rolled into one stompbox.
** '' '''Boss DS''' Boss' Best Selling guitar effect, widely used by world renowned guitar players.
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* '''Overdrive Pedals'''
** '' Boss ODstage overdrive circuit that offers a level of sustain and compression unmatch to any overdrive pedal available in the market.
** ''MXR ZW44 Zakk Wylde Overdrive Pedal '' - Extreme overdrive with a heavy sound close to a high gain distortion. Hear this sound by Zakk Wylde with Ozzy Osbourne or with his own Black Label Society metal band.
** ''Maxon OD808 Overdrive Pedal ''- This legendary overdrive pedal was often imitated but was never matched.
** ''BOSS DN Play dynamic transition between clean to heavy overdrive based on your picking strength and/or guitar volume. Adds expression to your playing style.
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