Electric Guitar Distortion

   
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Electric guitar distortion is a traditional field of audio effects. In its simple form it means hard or soft clipping the signal. Clipping a signal is a form of signal distortion, in the context of audio effects sometimes also called overdrive. Overdrive or distortion will produce many strong harmonics. The distortion may be generated already before power amplification from an external effect pedal or inside the power amplifier (esp. with tube amplifier). Finally the already distorted and amplified signal is fed into loudspeakers installed in a cabinet. The loudspeaker(s) (incl. cabinet) may again distort the signal and also will introduce linear frequency range limitations and resonances (linear filtering). Resonances may result from guitar speaker itself and/or from the cabinet (open backside). More details can be found here.

 

Special Thanks

 

Special thanks go to Dr. Philipp Bulling. He played the guitar and allowed to use the audio example for manipulations purposes.

 

Playback Type

  Both, standard loudspeaker and headphone playback is possible.

 

Audio Examples