AES Rome 2013
Tutorial T10
Monday, May 6, 09:00 — 10:30 (Auditorium Loyola)
T10 - Creative Distortion—You Are in the Over-Driver's Seat
Presenter:Alex Case, University of Massachusetts—Lowell - Lowell, MA, USA
Abstract:
Distortion, strategically applied to elements of your mix, is a source of energy that lifts tracks up out of a crowded arrangement and adds excitement to the performance. Accidental distortion, on the other hand, is a certain sign that the production is unprofessional, dragging down its chance for success. Amps, stomp boxes, tubes, transformers, tape machines, the plug-ins that emulate them, and the plug-ins that create wholly new forms of distortion all offer a rich palette of distortion colors. Mix engineers must know how to choose among them, and how to tailor them to the music. This tutorial takes a close look at distortion, detailing the technical goings-on when things break-up, and defining the production potential of this, the caffeine of effects.