What is Your Favorite Distortion Plugin?

Recording, Mixing and Producing Plugins
#21

One of us needs to write an article on the many uses of distortion. I would if I were a better writer. :stuck_out_tongue:
I used to shy away from it too till I discovered just how often it gets utilized. It can do so much to a mix. Almost in a way that you’d never expect.

#22

Where would one post such an article? In the Blog Section?

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#23

I did too. I haven’t used it yet either. My main issue with it is that there are so many options, it’s hard to know where to even start. This is more of an issue of me not knowing the software well enough to be able to actually use it.

This will sound dumb and self preachy, but now I just use Imperial Delay for distortion. If I want distortion, I just mute the wet channel and turn up the drive. It’s probably not the most simple way for most people to use distortion, but I kind of taylored that distortion channel specifically for my needs, and I obviously know it really well.

3 Likes
#24

I love the Oxford Inflator, although I don’t think of it as a distortion plug, but it sure inflates nicely! :smiley:
(The Limiter is also great BTW). I often use a combination of UAD Studer 800 + Slate VCC, sometimes Kush Omega N or A, and then the Cubase Saturation build-in plug in the channel strip.

#26

I’d gladly set you up for posting it in the blog if you’re interested :+1:

#35

Here’s an article I found - a bit of an overview: http://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/distortion-studio

Then there are these videos I posted here featuring “The Tchad” who pretty much uses distortion all over his mixes:

#36

I use Guitar Rig for distortion… there are some way cool fx in there…

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#37

GR is awesome for so many things - the “Transamp” module is there version of Sansamp - great for parallel distortion on drums!

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#38

ahh cool idea… thanks…

#39

Never really used GR. I find it too bloated, so it’s definitely not the kind of thing I reach for when I’m looking into mangling sounds, perhaps I’m wrong?

#40

No one’s ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ when it comes to personal preference and workflow - whatever works for you, Pat!

That said, I found GR a monster for mangling sounds. I got hooked on the “Special Effects” presets which provide me with much amusement. They are outrageous and nothing to do with guitars per se.

Once I started reverse engineering their often convoluted signal paths, it opened up a pretty much unlimited palette of sound mangling possibilities… Basically, if I can imagine an effect that I want to create, or an emotion I want to convey, I can get exactly what I imagine with GR.

A good example in practise is the huge distorted cavernous echo that happens on the word “devour” in this latest song I posted on BTR: http://indierecordingdepot.com/uploads/default/original/1X/a799b01a6ab6d05555520bddc7e28e309b9add3e.mp3

2 Likes
#41

Yeah, it does sound great!

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#42

Yes please

#43

Ahh… that’s what you used for ‘devour’… that bit was particularly BIG…

#44

I love Saturn from fab filter and also just starting to dig on Infected mushroom pusher from waves for subtle pushing of levels and harmonic content

#45

Just did an article on distortion here http://wp.indierecordingdepot.com/how-i-use-distortion-when-mixing-and-tracking/

6 Likes
#46

Very nice writeup Paul! Some very good food for thought, I certainly hadn’t considered much of what you wrote about. Thanks for doing it!

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#47

Your welcome. I find writing blogs helps me solidify my intentions on a given topic. It is an entirely self serving exercise :sunglasses:

#48

Enlightened self-interest. :grin:

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#49

Soundtoys decapitator

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