Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in?

Author
Ambient
Max Output Level: -90 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 26
  • Joined: 2012/08/06 13:18:51
  • Status: offline
2012/08/07 03:53:14 (permalink)

Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in?

I am looking to add a distortion effect to my vocal track. I want something simple that will add distortion and not change the tonal properties of my track. If I am not mistaken, the Amp Sim plug-in is the only thing that comes close. The problem is that it kills tone (as it's meant for guitar), and it also does not have a fader to choose between the dry and wet signal. The latter is not necessary, but would be perfect. The most important part is finding something that is as transparent as possible, while still adding distortion.

Cakewalk Sonar X1 Producer Edition
Motu 8 Pre
Dell X13 laptop on Windows 7 64 bit
#1

13 Replies Related Threads

    musicroom
    Max Output Level: -51 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2421
    • Joined: 2004/04/26 22:31:02
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/07 05:12:45 (permalink)
    Try cake's Tape Sim - very good plug

    Camel Crusher - free

    TB_Reelbus - cheap and nice

    Voxengo - voxformer

    Variety of Sound - Rescue

    Of course X1's expanded - Saturation Knob is very good should you choose to go that route.

    All these are off the top of my head - but good places to look...




     
    Dave
    Songs
    ___________________________________
    Desktop: Platinum / RME Multiface II / Purrfect Audio DAW  I7-3770 / 16 GB RAM / Win 10 Pro / Remote Laptop i7 6500U / 12GB RAM /  RME Babyface



     
     
    #2
    jamesg1213
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 21760
    • Joined: 2006/04/18 14:42:48
    • Location: SW Scotland
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/07 08:02:22 (permalink)
    it also does not have a fader to choose between the dry and wet signal. The latter is not necessary, but would be perfect.
    You could add it to a bus and use a send to get just the right amount.

     
    Jyemz
     
     
     



    Thrombold's Patented Brisk Weather Pantaloonettes with Inclementometer
    #3
    Ambient
    Max Output Level: -90 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 26
    • Joined: 2012/08/06 13:18:51
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/07 11:16:55 (permalink)
    Thanks for the suggestions. I will try the tape sim, but can you please describe how to distort my signal by sending it to a bus?

    Cakewalk Sonar X1 Producer Edition
    Motu 8 Pre
    Dell X13 laptop on Windows 7 64 bit
    #4
    bitflipper
    01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
    • Total Posts : 26036
    • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
    • Location: Everett, WA USA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/07 11:38:10 (permalink)
    When it comes to vocals, parallel distortion is the way to go. As suggested above, a distortion bus works as well as a wet/dry control on the plugin itself. Better, actually, because you can route multiple vocal tracks to it and EQ/effect/automate them all together. I like to also add a delay or short reverb to the distortion chain.

    The current king of distortion plugins is FabFilter's versatile Saturn, but it's expensive. If you're looking for a less-expensive solution, there are a lot of guitar amp sims that can do the job. I have used the bundled Guitar Rig, IKM's Amplitube, and some freebies such as Shred. 

    But like you said, guitar effects tend to sound thin. For other applications such as bass, drums and vocals you need a less-specific distortion plugin that offers more options. Try the free Voxengo Boogex, which is a favorite of mine for bass but can do vocals if you tweak it right. Another freebie worth trying is CamelCrusher. A not-free but cheap one is Redopter from D16 Group, my go-to for parallel distortion on drums (although I've not yet tried it on vox; I should).

    Then there are exciters and tape sims, which are great for vocals but may be more subtle than what you're after. If you have Ozone, it has a harmonic exciter that works pretty well on vocals, but it's closer to a tape sim than a distortion effect. The often-neglected FX Tape Sim is better than people realize. Toneboosters' ReelBus is cheap, but doesn't have a mix knob (or even an output slider). A decent freebie is TesslaPRO, which is similar to FX Tape Sim.


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

    My Stuff
    #5
    bitflipper
    01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
    • Total Posts : 26036
    • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
    • Location: Everett, WA USA
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/07 12:37:10 (permalink)
    Right-click on the track header and select Insert Send -> New Stereo Bus. Add the distortion plugin to the newly-created bus. Use volume automation on the bus to control the effected/dry mix. This picture is for a snare drum, but a vocal would be set up the same way.





    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

    My Stuff
    #6
    Ambient
    Max Output Level: -90 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 26
    • Joined: 2012/08/06 13:18:51
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/07 17:26:08 (permalink)
    Awesome advice, looks like I have quite a few choices. Thanks for the screenshot bitflipper. To be honest, I have never messed around with different buses, but I think I understand what I need to do. Thanks guys!

    Cakewalk Sonar X1 Producer Edition
    Motu 8 Pre
    Dell X13 laptop on Windows 7 64 bit
    #7
    The Band19
    Max Output Level: -47.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2795
    • Joined: 2012/05/29 19:21:32
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/07 19:34:16 (permalink)
    This is one of those threads where the OP is trying to see if they can accumulate pages and pages of responses, right?
    #8
    The Band19
    Max Output Level: -47.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2795
    • Joined: 2012/05/29 19:21:32
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/07 19:36:08 (permalink)
    Either way, you need, "this"

    http://www.fabfilter.com/products/saturn.php
    #9
    jsaras
    Max Output Level: -49 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2642
    • Joined: 2003/12/07 10:40:00
    • Location: Pasadena, CA-The Center of the Universe!
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/28 10:39:26 (permalink)
    CamelCrusher (free!) has been a long-time secret weapon http://www.camelaudio.com/camelcrusher.php

    http://www.audiorecordingandservices.com ("one minute free" mastering)

    http://tinyurl.com/3n6kj (free Sonar mixing template and Ozone mastering preset)
    #10
    IK Obi
    Max Output Level: -60 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1549
    • Joined: 2011/02/22 20:25:48
    • Location: Salt Lake City, UT
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/29 17:52:25 (permalink)
    AmpliTube 3 FREE has some cool distortions and is stereo in/out for when you have stereo vocals. Usually on backgrounds where you pan Left/Right.
    #11
    batsbrew
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 10037
    • Joined: 2007/06/07 16:02:32
    • Location: SL,UT
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/29 17:54:27 (permalink)
    voxengo boogex

    http://www.voxengo.com/product/boogex/


    i've used this for several years now.

    sometimes i use it on vocals.


    Bats Brew music Streaming
    Bats Brew albums:
    "Trouble"
    "Stay"
    "The Time is Magic"
    --
    Sonar 6 PE>Bandlab Cakewalk>Studio One 3.5>RME BFP>i7-7700 3.6GHz>MSI B250M>G.Skill Ripjaws 4 series 16GB>Samsung 960 EVO m.2ssd>W 10 Pro
     
    #12
    Guitarhacker
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 24398
    • Joined: 2007/12/07 12:51:18
    • Location: NC
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/29 19:37:37 (permalink)
    I use the cake tape sim when I need to add a little bit of low level grit to the vocal track.


    My website & music: www.herbhartley.com

    MC4/5/6/X1e.c, on a Custom DAW   
    Focusrite Firewire Saffire Interface


    BMI/NSAI

    "Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer 
    #13
    The Band19
    Max Output Level: -47.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2795
    • Joined: 2012/05/29 19:21:32
    • Status: offline
    Re:Can anyone recommend a good distortion plug-in? 2012/08/29 22:55:29 (permalink)
    +1 Saturn... It's the Shizzy... I have it and I use it (mostly on the drum bus) but I've also used it to touch up guitars, and I'm sure it would be schaweeet for your vocal treatment. F the cost, you deserve the best ;-)
    #14
    Jump to:
    © 2024 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1