Amplification & Distortion

This lesson is part of the Electronic Music & Sound Production category.

Objectives

• Students will be familiar with the basics of electronic amplification for various different instruments.
• Students will be able to use amplification and/or amplification-related distortion to achieve a given musical effect.
• Students will be understand different types of noise and their applications.

Resources

Readings

• The Ethan Hein Blog: Hein, "Jimi Hendrix, electronic musician"
• The Atlantic: Neal, "The Many Colors of Sound"
• Wikipedia: "Colors of Noise"

Listening or Videos

• Effects 101:
  • "Overdrive"
• Lou Reed, Metal Machine Music

• Marty Music: "Overdrive, Distortion, Fuzz: What's the Difference?"
  

Class Activities

• Discussion and demonstration of amplification of an acoustic or electronic signal
• Discussion and demonstration of distortion, overdrive and feedback as musical techniques
• Analysis of amplification and distortion in music of different styles
• Creation and manipulation of an electronically distorted sound

Assignments

• Identification and analysis of amplification and distortion in recorded music
• Designing a PA system for a specific need
• Comparison of live and studio recordings