Distortion Classifications

[stm]

It calls my attention that most distortions seem located on a straight line from ROUGH/METALLIC to NATURAL/SMOOTH, and a couple of them on the right hand side of the chart.  However no distortion lies on the LOWER/LEFT quadrant of the chart. Is it possible to have such a combination in a pedal, i.e. ROUGH & NATURAL?  If possible, maybe this is an open area.

It would be interesting to see the more comprehensive chart; I have special curiosity as to where did Boss/Roland locate their OD-1 and OD-2 wih respect to the SD-1/OD-3/BD-2.

Maybe I would you place the Big Muff Pie towards the upper right of the chart, while the FF on the upper left... comments?

[Gilles C]

Hard clipping, softclipping are subjective terms, but they relate to  germanium clipping, LED clipping, & on & on.

I was under the impression this had more to do with where the clipping was going on, i.e. diodes to ground on output = hard, diodes in feedback loop = soft? Maybe I need to read that distortion cookbook article again.

As for the Boss chart, I think it's only designed as a very loose buyer's guide for marketing their pedals, not a taxonomy of all distortion effects. But following the chart, I'd be curious to what circuit(s) would fall in the lower left (Rough/Natural)?

Kerry M

In that same printed book, I think they have a better description of the distortions than the above chart. The Distortion goes from "Shallow, Natural Distortion" to "Radical, Deep Distortion" and the Sound goes from "Harsh, Rough-Grained Sound" to "Fat, Steady Sound".

For me, "Shallow and Natural" means Tubey, Bluesy, Smooth, etc... like in a Tube Amp.

So note that their BD-2 is now in that Harsh Sound/Natural Distortion" type, that's the lower left section, but close to the center of the chart. They changed their mind about how it sounds it seems. But I agree with them now.

Their FZ-2 fuzz is completely in the top left corner, which is the "Harsh Sound/Radical Distortion" type of distortion. So I suppose that the Fuzz Face would be there also (maybe???)

Btw, this post is not to sell you on Boss effects, but just to help put a name on the type of distortion produced by other brands or even homemade effects.

Gilles