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Official effect

Scooped Metal Distortion

High-gain dual-stage distortion built on the current hard-clip family core.

The current preview still uses the same dual-stage tanh path as Hard-Clip Distortion: high-pass cleanup, stronger low shelf, restrained 930 Hz emphasis, two clipping stages, and a wide post-drive high shelf. In other words, it already feels high-gain, but the code does not yet implement a dedicated mid scoop beyond the shared distortion EQ structure.

  • Drive, Boost & Saturation
  • Library #21
  • Preview 8s

Waveform preview

Static peaks come from the compiled FAUST preview render. The live scope is drawn from the browser playback output in real time.

Timeline
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Source
Compiled browser preview
Live oscilloscope from the browser playback output.AnalyserNode keeps the signal path unchanged while exposing the waveform.

How It Works

Technical view

The current preview still uses the same dual-stage tanh path as Hard-Clip Distortion: high-pass cleanup, stronger low shelf, restrained 930 Hz emphasis, two clipping stages, and a wide post-drive high shelf. In other words, it already feels high-gain, but the code does not yet implement a dedicated mid scoop beyond the shared distortion EQ structure.

  • Drive, Boost & Saturation
  • waveshaping / saturation
  • delay processing
  • oscillator / LFO modulation
  • DC blocking

Signal Path

Compiled preview chain

Preview source: An internally generated picked-string phrase is widened to stereo with a 19-sample right-channel delay and slight left/right shelf-EQ offsets before it reaches the active drive path.

  1. 1internal picked-string demo phrase
  2. 2stereo spread with a short right-channel delay
  3. 3high-pass cleanup
  4. 4stronger low-shelf boost and restrained 930 Hz emphasis
  5. 5first tanh clipping stage
  6. 6second tanh clipping stage
  7. 7post-drive high-shelf tone shaping
  8. 8dry / wet mix
  9. 9DC blocker
  10. 10output gain trim
  11. 11final tanh limiter

Preview source

An internally generated picked-string phrase is widened to stereo with a 19-sample right-channel delay and slight left/right shelf-EQ offsets before it reaches the active drive path.

Effect core

Dual-stage tanh distortion currently sharing the Hard-Clip Distortion core without a dedicated additional scoop stage.

Signal path

The static waveform and the live player both reflect this compiled signal chain.

  • internal picked-string demo phrase
  • stereo spread with a short right-channel delay
  • high-pass cleanup
  • stronger low-shelf boost and restrained 930 Hz emphasis
  • first tanh clipping stage
  • second tanh clipping stage
  • post-drive high-shelf tone shaping
  • dry / wet mix
  • DC blocker
  • output gain trim
  • final tanh limiter

Controls that matter

These are the currently active controls detected in the FAUST source for this effect.

  • mix: Blends the clean stereo preview source with the dual-stage clipped distortion path.
  • output_gain_db: Trims the final level after DC blocking and before the limiter.
  • drive: Raises the level feeding both tanh clipping stages, especially the first one.
  • tone: Controls the wide post-drive high shelf after the cascaded clipping stages.
  • contour: Adjusts the low shelf and restrained 930 Hz push ahead of clipping.

Code-backed analysis

The generated description is tied to the active helper blocks and routing found in the current DSP.

  • demo
  • fx
  • outputStage
  • leftDemo
  • rightDemo
  • driveTone
  • phraseMono
  • previewShiftSamples

Controls

Audible controls in this DSP

  • mix

    Active

    Blends the clean stereo preview source with the dual-stage clipped distortion path.

    Lower settings keep more dry pick detail; higher settings commit to the denser distortion voice.

  • output_gain_db

    Active

    Trims the final level after DC blocking and before the limiter.

    Sets loudness without changing how hard the internal clipping stages are hit.

  • drive

    Active

    Raises the level feeding both tanh clipping stages, especially the first one.

    Adds denser saturation, more sustain, and stronger transient flattening.

  • tone

    Active

    Controls the wide post-drive high shelf after the cascaded clipping stages.

    Restores bite and attack or keeps the distortion darker and more controlled.

  • contour

    Active

    Adjusts the low shelf and restrained 930 Hz push ahead of clipping.

    Changes how much weight and upper-mid focus gets driven into the distortion core.

Analysis

Code-derived notes

Reviewed against the current DSP. The current preview shares the same active dual-stage clipping core as Hard-Clip Distortion and does not yet add a dedicated scooped-EQ branch.

Active blocks

  • demo
  • fx
  • outputStage
  • leftDemo
  • rightDemo
  • driveTone
  • phraseMono
  • previewShiftSamples
  • softsat
  • pickedVoice
  • fund
  • pickEnv
  • ampEnv
  • triggerAt
  • maxDelaySamples

Inactive helpers

  • synthVoice
  • organVoice
  • bellVoice
  • quantize
  • combLP
  • echoOnly
  • diffuser

Warnings

No current warnings are attached to this effect.

Source

  • library/drive-boost-saturation/scooped-metal-distortion.dsp
  • Output stage: DC blocker -> output gain trim -> final tanh limiter
  • Library position: 21

More In Drive, Boost & Saturation

Continue through the library

Each effect page uses the same generated description pipeline and compiled waveform preview assets.

Transparent Overdrive

Keeps the dry attack intact while adding a broad low-mid lift and light tanh saturation for edge-of-breakup push.

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Amp-Like Overdrive

Mid-forward soft clipping tuned to feel more like a pushed amp stage than a flat clean boost.

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Hard-Clip Distortion

Cascaded clipping with reinforced lows and upper mids for tighter attack and more modern bite.

View How It Works