DISTORTION EFFECTS: DISTORTION II

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DISTORTION II

Distortion II emulates the distortion circuit used in the classic Hammond B3 organ (specifically the Leslie® 122 cabinet) and other vintage analog gear. It offers a variety of distortion types—from smooth tube-growl to hardcore clipping—making it ideal for both musical saturation and bold sound design.

Key Features

PreGain knob and field: Sets the amount of gain applied to the input signal.
Drive knob and field: Sets the amount of saturation applied to the signal.
Tone knob and field: Boosts the integrated high shelf filter gain both pre- and post-distortion, resulting in a different tone.
Type pop-up menu: Allows selection of different distortion types:
1. Growl: Emulates a two-stage tube amplifier similar to a Leslie 122 speaker cabinet (often used with the Hammond B3).
2. Bity: Emulates the sound of a bluesy (overdriven) guitar amp.
3. Nasty: Produces hard distortion, suitable for very aggressive sounds.
4. Class AB soft/hard: Emulates softer or harder crossover distortion encountered in transistorized amplifiers when driving a higher load.

Best Use Cases

Adding rich analog-style saturation to keyboards, organs, or electric pianos.
Giving guitar or bass a warm vintage drive with character and edge.
Processing drums or loops where you want heavier harmonic content without totally obliterating the sound.
Sound design applications: gritty transitions, horror pads, aggressive textures.
Mix bus or subgroup saturation: light drive for cohesion or heavier for attitude.

Popular Song Examples

The White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army”
Muse – “Uprising”
Billie Eilish – “You Should See Me in a Crown”
Royal Blood – “Out of the Black”
Kanye West – “Black Skinhead”

DISTORTION II EFFECT ONLINE MANUAL

LISTEN to this POD about different ways to use DISTORTION II Plugin

Workflow Tips

Start with moderate Drive (4–7 dB) and then adjust Tone to match the instrument’s brightness.
Use the Mix knob to blend distorted and clean signals: try 30–40% wet for punch without loss of clarity.
Match output gain after heavy drive to compare tone properly (don’t mistake loudness for quality).
Select Type mode based on character needed:
1. Growl: dynamic tube-style drive
2. Bity: bluesy amp crunch
3. Nasty: aggressive distortion
4. Class AB Soft/Hard: transistor amplifier character
Use as insert or send: For full instrument drive, insert it. For subtle coloration, send to a parallel auxiliary.
Combine with compression after distortion to control dynamics and even out the harmonic punch.
Automate Drive or Tone changes: Great for transitions—e.g., increase Drive during chorus or drop Tone for breakdown.

FAMOUS USES

(Here are songs that illustrate the type of saturation and drive that Distortion II can emulate)

Seven Nation Army

The White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army”: Iconic distorted bass/guitar tone; Distortion II can replicate vintage saturation while preserving clarity (3:52).

Uprising

Muse – “Uprising”: Synth bass and guitar carry a strong mid-drive character; Distortion II could replicate that punchy, saturated tone. (3:36).

You Should See Me in a Crown

Billie Eilish – “You Should See Me in a Crown”: Heavy bass and vocal saturation—Distortion II’s modes like “Bity” or “Growl” add grit without totally losing musicality (3:01).

Out of the Black

Royal Blood – “Out of the Black”: Distortion on bass guitar making it function like both bass and lead guitar simultaneously (4:22).

VIDEO TUTORIALS

Distortion Plug-in

At time stamp 6:02, Jono describes how distortion works and uses Logic Pro's Distortion plug-in to demonstrate how to use distortion with keyboard stabs. (10:29)

Clip Distortion

Quick Tip 2

At timestamp 17:46, Music by Mattie quickly demonstrates how to use the controls in Logic's Distortion II plugin. (20:13)

Logic Distortions

MacProVideoDotCom talks about all the different types of distortion plugins in Logic Pro. (3:23)

Distortion v. Saturation

MacProVideoDotCom discusses the difference between distortion and saturation. (6:07)

SOURCE ARTICLES

SOURCE ARTICLES YOU CAN READ:

VOCABULARY

1. Distortion II: An updated distortion plugin that allows precise shaping of the distorted signal with multiple controls for tone and character.

2. Drive / Gain: Controls how strongly the audio signal is distorted.

3. Tone / Filter: Shapes the frequency content of the distortion, emphasizing certain ranges (highs, mids, lows).

4. Wet / Dry Mix: Adjusts the balance between the distorted (wet) and original (dry) signal.

5. Output Level: Controls the overall volume after processing.

6. Input Level: The volume of the audio entering the plugin.

7. Harmonics: Extra frequencies added by distortion that enrich the sound.

8. Saturation: Subtle distortion that adds warmth and fullness.

9. Clipping: Peaks of the audio are limited or cut off to create distortion.

10. Dynamics: The difference between quiet and loud parts of the audio; distortion mainly affects peaks.

11. Texture: The tonal quality or “feel” added by Distortion II.

12. Character: The specific sound signature of the distortion, from mild to aggressive.

13. Mode / Algorithm: Some versions of Distortion II allow selecting different distortion types or algorithms for varied effects.

14. Bypass / Off: Turns Distortion II on or off so you can compare the processed and original audio.

15. Creative Effect: Often used for sound design, adding edge to instruments, or producing unique textures in a mix.

QUIZZES

MANUAL

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