Evil G
20-03-2006, 12:44 AM
i saw this on another site and thought it was worth spreading around.
I don't think tape is the 'holy grail'... I love analog warmth (i.e., "light distortion")... ANALOG being the key word here. Tubes, Transformers, Tape, it's all good!
Tape distortion is odd harmonic based. There is also a loss of hi frequencies with respect to low frequencies if driven far enough (high frequencies start compressing sooner then the low frequencies).
Tube based distortion contains strong even order harmonics, but is not strictly even order (the harmonic structure changes with signal level). Some tubes can contain higher order odd harmonics depending on the signal level and the amount of gain driving them.
Transformer based distortion is mostly odd-order based...
3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, etc...
While these are not very musical harmonics, the harmonic distortion that comes from a transformer is usually very transient based... adding 'punch' and 'snap' to the material.
Remember... harmonics are hamonies (think back to your music theory class). This is why so many like the sound of drums with tape/transformer distortion and vocals/guitars with tube distortion. Tape/Transformers don’t' have resonantly musical harmonics (harmonies), which makes them perfect for drums... while tubes have highly resonant chordal like harmonies which make them great for vocals and guitars, etc...
I don't think tape is the 'holy grail'... I love analog warmth (i.e., "light distortion")... ANALOG being the key word here. Tubes, Transformers, Tape, it's all good!
Tape distortion is odd harmonic based. There is also a loss of hi frequencies with respect to low frequencies if driven far enough (high frequencies start compressing sooner then the low frequencies).
Tube based distortion contains strong even order harmonics, but is not strictly even order (the harmonic structure changes with signal level). Some tubes can contain higher order odd harmonics depending on the signal level and the amount of gain driving them.
Transformer based distortion is mostly odd-order based...
3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, etc...
While these are not very musical harmonics, the harmonic distortion that comes from a transformer is usually very transient based... adding 'punch' and 'snap' to the material.
Remember... harmonics are hamonies (think back to your music theory class). This is why so many like the sound of drums with tape/transformer distortion and vocals/guitars with tube distortion. Tape/Transformers don’t' have resonantly musical harmonics (harmonies), which makes them perfect for drums... while tubes have highly resonant chordal like harmonies which make them great for vocals and guitars, etc...