Production Glossary
Distortion
Distortion is a special effect that produces a muffled, fuzzy sound through the consolidation of the peaks of a sound wave created by a musical instrument, such as a guitar. Distortion is achieved through the utilization of pedals, power amplifiers, rackmounts, pre-amps, and speakers.Distortion first appeared on the music scene in 1951, when the first example of distortion was captured on record. From that point on, musicians purposely pushed their amps past their intended gain levels to create the effect.
Distortion, in relation to the amplification of music, is associated with clipping. Clipping affects the signal frequencies and sound waves of a sound. Essentially, distortion is a form of clipping that manipulates and alters sound by way of an amplifier.
