Re: Clipping question
Posted by Frank_NH on Nov 27, 2014; 7:29pm
URL: http://guitar-fx-layouts.238.s1.nabble.com/Clipping-question-tp15404p15420.html
Excellent response by induction. For more information and insight on distortion I highly recommend this essay at Geofex:
Distortion 101
"But you can make the case that symmetric clipping gives the sonic effect of more compression because asymmetry gives the dirt characteristics of the lower Vf and the volume characteristicsof the higher Vf. This means that the asymmetric arrangement would give more volume variation than an equivalently distorted symmetric arrangement. In other words, with compression, what you are really compressing is the distribution of the volume levels in a signal. The asymmetric arrangement adds distortion , but leaves the unclipped volume distribution more intact."
This is a good way of thinking about signal clipping using diodes or other means. Strong clipping removes the harmonic content of the original signal as your waveform starts looking more like a square wave. The good thing about mild symmetric clipping or asymmetric clipping is that more of wave form stays intact. In the case of asymmetric clipping, one half of your wave will be mildly clipped while the other looks like a square wave, and so retains more sonic character. I definitely like this better personally.
Here's more on compression and limiting in pedals:
Compression and Limiting in Distortion Boxes
One more thought - it's easy to analyze signals assuming they are constant amplitude pure tones (sine waves). But guitar signals are anything but. For example, the initial note attack can be high amplitude and therefore clipped, but as the note dies away, it transitions into a low amplitude unclipped signal. And the note itself will have strong, non-uniform harmonics, some of which will be clipped and others while will remain unclipped. And that's just a single note - when you have two or more notes ringing together, the waveform becomes very complicated. That's why we spend so much time tweaking our overdrives!
URL: http://guitar-fx-layouts.238.s1.nabble.com/Clipping-question-tp15404p15420.html
Excellent response by induction. For more information and insight on distortion I highly recommend this essay at Geofex:
Distortion 101
"But you can make the case that symmetric clipping gives the sonic effect of more compression because asymmetry gives the dirt characteristics of the lower Vf and the volume characteristicsof the higher Vf. This means that the asymmetric arrangement would give more volume variation than an equivalently distorted symmetric arrangement. In other words, with compression, what you are really compressing is the distribution of the volume levels in a signal. The asymmetric arrangement adds distortion , but leaves the unclipped volume distribution more intact."
This is a good way of thinking about signal clipping using diodes or other means. Strong clipping removes the harmonic content of the original signal as your waveform starts looking more like a square wave. The good thing about mild symmetric clipping or asymmetric clipping is that more of wave form stays intact. In the case of asymmetric clipping, one half of your wave will be mildly clipped while the other looks like a square wave, and so retains more sonic character. I definitely like this better personally.
Here's more on compression and limiting in pedals:
Compression and Limiting in Distortion Boxes
One more thought - it's easy to analyze signals assuming they are constant amplitude pure tones (sine waves). But guitar signals are anything but. For example, the initial note attack can be high amplitude and therefore clipped, but as the note dies away, it transitions into a low amplitude unclipped signal. And the note itself will have strong, non-uniform harmonics, some of which will be clipped and others while will remain unclipped. And that's just a single note - when you have two or more notes ringing together, the waveform becomes very complicated. That's why we spend so much time tweaking our overdrives!
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