Waves Overdrive, Screamer, Fuzz User Manual

User Guide

MDMX

Modern Distortion Modules

Screamer, Overdrive, Fuzz

Waves Modern Distortion Modules

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 4

Using MDMX Presets .............................................................................................................................................. 5

MDMX: Fuzz .................................................................................................................. 6

Components .................................................................................................................................... 6

Getting Started................................................................................................................................ 7

Using MDMX Fuzz Presets ...................................................................................................................................... 7

Getting Started from Scratch ................................................................................................................................. 8

Interface and Controls .................................................................................................................... 9

Processing Sections ................................................................................................................................................ 9

Controls ................................................................................................................................................................ 10

Input Section ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 10

Gain Section .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

Dynamics Section ................................................................................................................................................................................. 13

EQ Section ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 14

Output Section ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 14

MDMX: Screamer ........................................................................................................ 15

Components .................................................................................................................................. 15

Getting Started.............................................................................................................................. 16

Using MDMX Screamer Presets ............................................................................................................................ 16

Getting Started from Scratch ............................................................................................................................... 17

Interface and Controls .................................................................................................................. 18

Processing Sections .............................................................................................................................................. 18

Controls ................................................................................................................................................................ 19

MDMX Distortion Modules / User Guide

Shaper Section ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Output Section ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 20

MDMX: Overdrive ........................................................................................................ 21

Components .................................................................................................................................. 21

Getting Started.............................................................................................................................. 22

Using MDMX Overdrive Presets ........................................................................................................................... 22

Starting from Scratch ........................................................................................................................................... 24

Interface and Controls .................................................................................................................. 25

Processing Sections .............................................................................................................................................. 25

Controls ................................................................................................................................................................ 26

Dynamics Section ................................................................................................................................................................................. 28

Output Section ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 30

MDMX Distortion Modules / User Guide

Introduction

Waves MDMX Distortion Modules

Waves Modern Distortion Modules (MDMX) is a toolkit that includes three separate plugins: Screamer, Overdrive, and Fuzz. It’s designed for musicians, engineers, and producers who need top-notch distortion and overdrive effects for instruments or mix busses. These three plugins run the gamut of distortion effects, from subtle to scorch ing.

• MDMX Fuzz is the most a ggres si ve MDMX plugin. It can track the distortion signa l in octaves, apply d yn amics and octaves ahead of the distortion p rocessor , and color the distort ed signa l. Bottom line : a big, in-your-face distortion effect that lets you go as far as you want.

• MDMX O verdrive is similar to MDMX Fuzz, but with less coloring. Like Fuzz, it can do a number on an instrument, but Overdrive is genera lly a bit gentle.

• MDMX Screamer is a straight-ahead overdrive generator. It generates subtle to strong overdrive, while holding on to the so und of t he ins trumen t or trac k .

Each of these thr ee plugins is described in its own section of this user guide. MDMX stereo components give you the choice of distorting the entire stereo signal, or the center or sides. This

provides great control when fitting an instrument into a mix and it lets you chan ge the way a sound relat es with the space around it.

There are other W a ves plugins that use distortion as a creative tool or to weave a sound into a mix:

• Berzerk is a wide-open distort ion to o l that let s you bu i ld ef fect s from s cratch . It com b ines di sto rtion, dynamics, feedbac k, a nd disto rtio n cha rac ter cont ro l wit h a ran dom gene ra tor. I t’s made for engineers, producers, and sound des igners.

• To bring a “too clean” track to life, add a bit of prec ise disto rtion with the Abbey Road Saturator plugin. The effect might go unnoticed, but the instrument or trac k will have more spa rkle and will sit better in the mix. Saturator is not shy; when called upon, it can also add real attitude to an instrument.

MDMX Distortion Modules / User Guide

Using MDMX Presets

Each MDMX plugin comes with an assortment of factory presets. In many cases, you’ll find just the right effect by loading a preset. Sometimes you’ll load a preset as a starting point and then make adjustments to achieve what you’re after. Starting with a preset has two advantages:

• It’s fast. We’ve already done most of the work needed to produce a specific sound. Begin with a preset whose name sound s l ike wh at you ’re l oo king fo r an d t weak a f e w con tro ls. Th at m igh t be al l you need .

• It’s a good way to learn. Load a few presets and see ho w th e cont rols a re set f o r each one . Pa y atte ntio n to how the different settings influence the sound. Do this a few times a nd you ’ll un de rstand what the cont rol s do and how the sections work togethe r.

Each module has a section in this user guide called “Using P resets .” It shows you how we address some common distortion and overdrive issues using that tool. You can, of c ou rse, de si gn a n eff ect from scratch, withou t us ing a preset.

Once you like the sound you’ve creat ed, you can save the settings as a preset. This is important if you want to use the preset in other sessions or else where in the cur rent session . Go to the Save menu in the WaveSystem Toolbar at the top of the interface and select one of the save opt ions. Refe r to the WaveSystem User Guide for more information.

MDMX Distortion Modules / User Guide

MDMX Fuzz

Stereo Component

MDMX: Fuzz

Waves MDMX Fuzz is a distortion tool with an attitude. It can provide a huge amount of distortion with a surprising amount of contro l. Its distortion shaper, synthesized octaves effects, dynamics and EQ sections, and M/S processing let you take distortion as far as you like without completely losing touch with the soul of the ins trument.

In general, signal flow is: Input->Dynamics->Gain->EQ->Output. The Dynam ics s ect ion l oop s ba ck to the Ga in section.

Components

There are two MDMX Fuzz components: mon o a nd ste reo.

The mono and ste reo components are the same, except for the numb e r of channels. Note that the mono component does not have a Stereo Mode select. Both components use very little CPU, even when upsampling.

Mono Component

MDMX Distortion Modules / User Guide

MDMX Fuzz

Getting Started

Using MDMX Fu zz Presets

In many cas es, you’ll find just the right Fuzz effect by loading a factory preset whose name makes sense, based on what you want to accomplish. More oft en than not, you’ ll need to load a few presets until you find one that’s a good match, and then ad just the co ntro ls to your liking. Save the settings as a user preset. Here are three Fu zz f acto ry presets that help you find your way when you’re creating a distortion effect. All three use the octave up/down control to brighten, thic ken, or increase the di sorder of a track.

PRESET: OCTAVE UP

Issue: You want to br ighte n o r ad d exc iteme nt to the source

Particular to Fuzz is the up and down octave generator that lets you quickly add and mix octaves to the distortion. W hen a distortion signal is too dark, add sparkle as a part of the distort io n, rat her th an with t he EQ se ctio n, wh ich is af ter t he dist ort ion in the signal flow. Try both, the result it quite different. Move the m et al bu tto n in t he o cta ve pa d to c hang e t h e m i x. T he f ur th er t o t he r ig ht, th e m or e j agg e d t he eff ect.

PRESET: OCTAVE DOWN

Issue: You want to thicken the sound without makin g it too dark.

As with Octave Up, this preset is all about the Octave pad. Here, however, we want to add weight. By mixing in some of the generated octave down signal, we can add bottom end while maintai ni ng tr an s par enc y. Mo ve t he O ct av e b utt on l ef t a nd r ig ht to explore t he eff ect on t he low f r eq ue nc ie s. Alternatively, adjust the low shelf in the EQ section. As you increase the low frequenc y, t he s ou nd is thicker. These are t wo very dif fer ent ef fect s.

PRESET: OCTAVE BOTH

Issue: You want to add disorder to the track without a ltogethe r losing its per sonalit y.

This preset is, in essence, a collision of the last two examples. It combines the sizzle of Octave Up with the weight of Octave Down. The result is a bit nutty, especially if the left and right channels of the input are significantly different.

MDMX Distortion Modules / User Guide

MDMX Fuzz

Getting Started from Scratch

You may choose to forgo presets and build your own Fuzz effect from s cratc h. Open the p lugi n and start turning knobs. It’s very likely that you’ll do just fine on your own, but we suggest that you first ge t to know the plugin by following these steps.

INPUT SECTION

Adjust the Input level. A LED above the input knob indicates peak level. In the stereo compone nt , the Mode switch lets you select which part of the sound image to distort: mid, sides, or entire stereo image. If you’re focusing the distortion effect on the mid or sides, use the small input control to adjust that le vel relati ve to the overall input level. There’s also a low-cut filter that you can use to reduce rumb le in the input si gnal or to change the character of t he d istortion.

GAIN SECTION

Use the Gain knob to adjus t the amo unt of ge ne rated fuzz. Choos e bet ween t wo ba s ic sha pes: A or B. The selected waveform is shown on the right. Use the rou nd control on the left to adjust the syn thesized one-octaveup and one-octave-down signals.

DYNAMICS SECTION

Control dynamics of th e signal sent t o the G a in sect ion. Choose betwee n a compressor ( Punch) or a gain rider (Rider). Blend is the mix bet ween the inpu t signal and the processed d ynami cs signal going to the distortion generator.

EQ SECTION

Adjust the t one of the signal from the distortio n generato r. The E Q fee d d ir ect ly to t he Ou tput sect ion.

OUTPUT SECTION

Mix is a wet/dry balance between input and pr ocessed signa l, Output sets the outp ut of the plu gin, and Temperature controls the overall color of the output signal. Make sure no t to clip the s ignal t hat ’s retu rn ing to

the DAW.

If you don’t like the way things are going, it’s probably better to start over than to keep fixing your fixes. Choose “Fuzz Full Reset” in the Load m enu to return all controls to their factory reset values. Once you’re happy with the sound, create a u ser p reset in t he WaveSystem Toolbar.

MDMX Distortion Modules / User Guide

MDMX Fuzz

Interface and Controls

Processing Sections

Input sets input level from the DAW.

Gain controls the character and amount of

fuzz generated. It includes a one-octave-up and one-octave-down generator whose signal you can combine with the disto rtion.

Dynamics (center) controls the dynamic

processing of the signa l s ent to t he Gain section.

EQ provides four-band equa lizatio n, post-

Gain and post-Dynamics.

Output sets the level of the return to the

host. It also let s yo u def ine the temperature of the output sound and control the dry/wet mix.

MDMX Distortion Modules / User Guide

+ 21 hidden pages

Waves Overdrive, Screamer, Fuzz User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Introduction

Using MDMX Presets

MDMX: Fuzz

Components

Getting Started

Using MDMX Fu zz Presets

PRESET: OCTAVE UP

PRESET: OCTAVE DOWN

PRESET: OCTAVE BOTH

Getting Started from Scratch

INPUT SECTION

GAIN SECTION

DYNAMICS SECTION

EQ SECTION

OUTPUT SECTION

Interface and Controls

Processing Sections