...between overdrive, distortion, and fuzz? Sorry if it appears like a dumbass question, but I see these terms bandied about everywhere, and I've always wondered, what's the difference? Intensity? Noisiness? Sustain? What?
...between overdrive, distortion, and fuzz? Sorry if it appears like a dumbass question, but I see these terms bandied about everywhere, and I've always wondered, what's the difference? Intensity? Noisiness? Sustain? What?
Most folks consider them to be just different sections of the spectrum from clean to noise.
Overdrive just adds a bit of "hair" and compression to the sound. Like a Fender amp cranked up. Think "Carnival" by Natlie Merchant.
Distortion is when the top end starts to get a bit buzzy/fizzy. More like a Marshall cranked up.
Fuzz is full on distort-o sound, and usually a bit spiky sounding, if it's old school fuzz. Less note definition, and the top end has a distinct buzz. Think distorted Hendrix, Blue Cheer, Electric Prunes, Norman Greenbaum, Count Five, Smashing Pumpkins...
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
Good description Kap'n.
Overdrive is generally used for a nice, full, cutting solo tone with good definition and also adding a little girth to chords. It's the most useful of the three.
Distortion is more singing an sustaining. A really good distortion will give you an almost violin attack when muting. Think of the triplets just before the chorus on "Panama" by VH. So, it's harder to tame than OD, but has more od a rock feel to it. Chords are something you need to be careful with. They can sound crunchy if done right, but can also be undefined and cluttered if you're not careful.
Fuzz is just everything taken to the limit. It's a very hard effect to use live. Since it really messes up the waveform, fuzz works best on slow songs when the band has turned down, allowing the fuzzy guitar sound to cut through, which it won't do at normal rock volumes.
So think of them sonically as two different cones. The cone representing the sounds you can make gets wider as you add distortion, but the cone of usefulness playing live gets smaller as it goes up. So, with a fuzz, you have lots and lots of cool sounds that nobody can hear over the band!
OSA
"No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim
Truer words were never spoken. The mysterious disappearing guitar sound.Originally Posted by Offshore Angler
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
Unless, of course, your amp goes to 11!
Keep your feet warm, your strings clean, and your powder dry.
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
Thank you, gentlemen. You are veritable fountains of wisdom.
The Beatles, "Think For Yourself"
OD?
Fuzz?
Distortion?
You decide........
However, It's All Good if used as desired.
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
I think the credits say "Fuzz Bass - Paul"
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
"Think For Yourself" by The Beatles is definitely fuzz; and on the album it's credited as Kap'n has noted. I think that was recorded in '65, and the only fuzz box I can remember from that time is the Maestro, which I'm pretty sure is the one used on The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction", and "Psychotic Reaction" by The Count Five.
I bought a Maestro in '66 for about $30, which at that time was alot of dough for a fifteen-year-old kid to cobble together. It died in '69 and instead of having the simple circuit repaired or replaced, I was an idiot and trashed it and replaced it with a Mosrite Fuzzrite, which I still have but haven't used since the mid '70s.
Keep your feet warm, your strings clean, and your powder dry.
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