Clip Distortion in MainStage

Clip Distortion is a nonlinear distortion effect that produces unpredictable harmonic spectra. It can simulate warm, overdriven tube sounds and can also generate heavy distortions.

Clip Distortion has an unusual combination of serially connected filters. The incoming signal is amplified by the Drive value, passes through a highpass filter, then is subjected to nonlinear distortion. Following the distortion, the signal passes through a lowpass filter. The effect signal is then recombined with the original signal, and this mixed signal is sent through a further lowpass filter. All three filters have a slope of 6 dB/octave.

This unique combination of filters allows for gaps in the frequency spectra that can sound good with this sort of nonlinear distortion.

To add Clip Distortion to your concert, choose Distortion > Clip Distortion in a channel strip Audio Effect plug-in menu. See Add and remove plug-ins in MainStage.

Clip Distortion parameters

Input Gain knob and field: Set the amount of gain applied to the plug-in input signal. This behaves like a preamplifier for the Drive parameter.
Drive knob and field: Set the amount of additional gain (distortion) applied to the input signal. After being amplified by Drive, the signal passes through a highpass filter.
Clip circuit display: Shows the impact of all parameters.
- Tone handle and field: Set the cutoff frequency (in hertz) of the highpass filter.
- Symmetry handle and field: Set the amount of nonlinear (asymmetrical) distortion applied to the signal.
- Clip Filter handle and field: Set the cutoff frequency (in hertz) of the first lowpass filter.
Mix knob and field: Set the ratio between the effect (wet) signal and original (dry) signals, following the clip filter.
High Shelving knob and field: Set the frequency (in hertz) of the high shelving filter. If you set the High Shelving Frequency to around 12 kHz, you can use it like the treble control on a mixer channel strip or a stereo hi-fi amplifier. Unlike these types of treble controls, however, you can boost or cut the signal by up to ±30 dB with the Gain parameter.
LP Filter knob and field: Set the cutoff frequency (in hertz) of the lowpass filter. This processes the mixed signal.
Gain knob and field: Set the amount of gain applied to the output of signals above the high shelving filter frequency.
Output Gain knob and field: Set the amount of gain applied to the plug-in output signal.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: PDF

MainStage Instruments: PDF

MainStage Effects: PDF

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