What Is Distortion
Introduction
When you ask people what distortion means, you’ll get different answers. For many, the first thing that comes to mind is “distorting words or phrases,” where what you’ve said gets twisted into something else. Others might picture a distorted image.
Guitarists often see distortion as something that enhances the sound of their guitars. On the other hand, sound technicians usually think of distortion as an unwanted noise caused by problems with the audio system.
So, what does distortion actually mean? When should you use it, and when should you avoid it? Where does it fit into your workflow, and what gear can you use to create it? There’s a lot to unpack here, but don’t worry—distortion is a simple concept once you understand how it works.
What Is Audio Distortion?
Even if you limit the definition of distortion to audio distortion, the term is still quite vague. Audio distortion happens when the output of a signal does not match the input.
There are two main types of audio distortion: linear and non-linear. Linear distortion changes the amplitude of a signal, while non-linear distortion changes its frequency content. When people talk about “audible distortion,” they usually mean non-linear distortion, even though both types affect the sound.
It’s important to understand that linear distortion doesn’t add anything new to the signal; instead, it directly alters it. This type of distortion can happen in several ways, such as by changing the pitch or volume of a sound, or by subtly shifting the phase of a signal.
Non-linear distortion, on the other hand, introduces additional frequencies to the signal. This can create effects such as a grainy texture, similar to the sound of an old vinyl record. Adding non-linear distortion can result in more buzzing, hissing, or crackling in recordings.
However, non-linear distortion is not always a bad thing. In fact, many pop songs include some form of distortion during the mixing process, even in tracks that sound clean and polished.
Reasons For Unwanted Distortion
In most cases, distortion is caused by clipping, which is simply the audible result of clipping. In audio components, clipping happens when the power supply voltage isn’t sufficient for them to handle electrical signals in a clean and efficient way.
You can notice different levels of this effect at the channel, mixer, and amplifier stages. It’s important to remember there’s a difference between overdriving speakers and overdriving an amplifier.
Clipping happens when an amplifier is pushed to produce a signal with more power than it can actually supply. When the amplifier reaches its maximum capacity, it can only amplify the signal up to that point, so the signal gets cut off or “clipped.”
Equipment can fail in several ways. For example, an effects processor might fail, causing the sounds that pass through it to disappear entirely. Alternatively, the processor could malfunction and produce distorted sounds. Sometimes this isn’t just about the component’s ability to handle the signal—it can also indicate that something inside has failed.
Constantly pushing speakers beyond what they can handle is also a problem. If you work in live audio production, you might have to use equipment that isn’t able to produce the loud volumes your event requires.
Turning up the speakers past their intended limits will cause distorted audio. Unlike distortion caused by clipping, this distortion happens because the speaker’s hardware can’t reproduce the signal it’s being given—even though it’s still a matter of voltage.
Using Good Distortion in Music Production
Distortion is a great tool for shaping sound, adding energy, and bringing new sonic character to a signal. By saturating the fundamental frequencies and boosting the harmonics, distortion can help highlight a particular sound or give it a unique vibe or mood that stands out in a track.
One of the most interesting benefits of distortion is its ability to prevent masking. When mixes get crowded—especially in the upper mids—distortion helps sounds carve out their own space. This is especially useful in dense mixes where many elements compete for attention.
Engineers often use distortion in rock music to help lead vocals cut through thick layers of guitars. Thanks to the edgy, bright quality that distortion adds, vocals can become more present without having to raise their overall level in the mix.
Clipping creates extra harmonics in the midrange, which adds sparkle and makes sounds more present—especially in the upper midrange, where our ears are most sensitive. Saturation is often used in this way to enhance this crucial range, making key sounds stand out in the mix.
Unlike EQ, which only boosts the levels of existing frequencies, saturation introduces new harmonic content that enriches the sound. If a simple EQ boost isn’t enough to make a sound pop, saturation acts as a kind of harmonic enhancement that can do the trick.
Types of Distorting
Things are rarely as black and white as they seem, especially when it comes to distortion. There are actually several different types of distortion. While they all shape your sound in similar ways, they don’t necessarily end up sounding the same.
To help you choose which type of distortion is best for your needs, we’ve listed five common types below.
One popular form of distortion is overdrive, which sits between the most subtle and the harshest distortions. This process is also known as controlled clipping. Originally, guitar amps were deliberately pushed to their limits to create this effect. Overdrive still lets you keep some of the audio’s dynamic range, so you can achieve relatively clean sounds while also adding more aggression and richer overtones.
Distortion, on the other hand, is much less subtle than overdrive. It heavily degrades your audio signal, producing that dirty, aggressive sound you often hear in heavy guitar music like Metal. If you want your sound to be bold and in-your-face, this is the effect you’re after.
Tape saturation is a much more delicate form of distortion. It does more than just distort the sound—it smooths out transients, adds a bit of compression, and introduces a gentle layer of distortion. Tape saturation is perfect for adding warmth, nostalgia, and an old-school analog feel to your recordings.
Valve saturation is similar to tape saturation in many ways. It also adds warmth and helps glue your audio together, but it works a bit differently. Which one is best for you will depend on your mix and your personal taste. Each plugin sounds unique, so it’s a good idea to try out a few to see which fits your needs the best.
Finally, a quick word of caution about clipping. Clipping happens when your audio volume goes beyond what your system can handle. While we don’t recommend using clipping to improve your sound, it’s still out there—some engineers intentionally crush their audio signals, especially in certain genres. Use with care!
Knobs on Distortion Plugin or Guitar Pedal
When using distortion, you’ll often come across a few key parameters. One of the most common is the amount, which controls how intense or harsh the distortion sounds. This parameter works much like Drive.
The gain you set will affect whether the system adjusts the input or output gain, saturating the sound as needed. Lower settings produce a softer sound, while higher settings create a harsher, fuller effect.
Filters let you control which parts of the frequency range are affected by distortion. You can choose to apply distortion only to the low end or only to the high end for more precision. In this way, the high and low cutoff filters work much like an equalizer.
All audio effects include a Dry/Wet setting, which is essential for mixing. This setting determines how much of the original (dry) signal is blended with the distorted (wet) signal. By increasing the dry signal, you get a more subtle sound; by increasing the wet signal, you get a heavier, more pronounced effect.
Conclusion
In this short and simple article, we discussed why unintended distortion can be harmful to your signal chain and equipment, and how you can actually benefit from good harmonic distortion.
The word “distortion” often makes us think of something negative, like speaker distortion, clipping, or anything that can ruin our music. But that’s not always true. If you intentionally distort your input signal—like using a guitar distortion plugin—you might create a great sound, one that’s iconic for electric instruments in certain genres.
Lo-fi sounds and production styles also benefit from distortion and saturation plugins, making electric guitars sound crunchy and reminiscent of old recordings. This approach helps shape new genre directions. We hope this guide helps clear things up.
If you have anything to add or want to share your thoughts about this topic, feel free to head to the comment section below. Until next time!
