Distortion

Distortion is a guitar effect that alters the signal’s waveform, creating a gritty, aggressive sound characterized by a high level of harmonic content and sustain. It’s achieved by amplifying the input signal to the point where the amplifier or pedal’s circuitry begins to clip, causing the waveform to become squared off and jagged. This clipping produces harmonics that weren’t present in the original signal, resulting in the characteristic “gritty” or “dirty” tone associated with distortion. Distortion pedals typically feature controls for adjusting the amount of gain or distortion applied, as well as tone-shaping knobs to tailor the sound’s frequency response. Distortion is widely used in rock, metal, and punk music to add power, aggression, and sustain to guitar solos, riffs, and rhythm parts, creating a bold and intense sonic impact in the mix. Popular distortion pedals include the Boss DS-1, Pro Co Rat, and Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi.