Distortion effects

These are modules you can add inside a Grid patch. Open Search modules, enter the browser name shown under a device below, add it, then select it to see its full controls in the inspector. Wire the left and right audio inputs and outputs into your patch. Adding a module alone does not put it into the sound path. A card shows only its first three controls. Widen the window to at least 760 pixels to use the full inspector.

These tables use the Grid inspector’s exact labels, including short labels such as out_db. A switch is a numeric control: 0 is off and 1 is on. Unless a row says otherwise, a range is continuous. Values such as mix use 0–1: 0 is dry, 1 is wet. Width 1 preserves normal stereo; 0 makes the processed part mono.

For tempo-synchronised controls, set the module's bpm to the tempo you want and enable its sync control. The tempo division list explains the shared choices. These Grid modules use their own tempo setting.

Crusher#

Grid browser: crusher.

Crusher reduces bit depth and sample rate. Lower bits gives fewer level steps; lower rate_hz holds each sample longer. jitter varies that hold timing. shape chooses the quantiser; dither adds noise to smooth quantisation behaviour. dc_shift offsets the quantiser's grid. pre_drive_db drives the input, while pre_lp_hz and post_lp_hz soften frequencies before and after the crunch. The filters are out of the path at their 20,000 Hz maximum.

Saturator#

Grid browser: saturator.

This Saturator module offers ten shapes, distinct from the four-control Saturator insert. drive_db pushes harder into the selected curve; bias makes the shape asymmetric. dyn changes that bias as the sound gets louder. tone tilts the output's bass/treble balance and color colours the sound before and after shaping.

At its 20 Hz minimum, hp_hz drives the whole signal. Raise it to keep the low part clean while distorting the high part. bass_thr_db sets the Bass Shaper's threshold. oversample chooses off, 2x or 4x processing. Use out_db to bring the changed level back down.

Drive Pedal + Amp#

Grid browser: drive-amp.

Drive Pedal + Amp offers three pedal models and four amp models. The pre-filter's pre_freq_hz and pre_bw choose which frequencies drive the distortion. drive sets the intensity, tone tilts its balance, and Bass, Mid, Treble and Presence shape the output. dynamics changes the response to playing level.

The cabinet is a built-in tonal model. Enable it with cab_on, choose the cabinet in cab, and move mic_pos from centre toward edge. gate_db suppresses quiet input; its −80 setting turns the gate off. level_db trims the output.

Multistage Distortion#

Grid browser: multistage-distortion.

Multistage Distortion combines three independently controlled stages. Each has its own shape, amount, bias, filter and level. Routing chooses how they combine: Single uses the first stage; Serial runs stages in order; Parallel mixes them; Multiband assigns frequency regions; Mid-Side separates centre and difference; Feedback feeds a stage's result back through the loop.

The shared input drive pushes all stages. Tone controls shape the result. Feedback amount, time or note division, band-pass and gate control the loop. The crossover controls matter in Multiband routing. comp_amt adds compression after the stages. Start with Feedback at zero and turn it up while listening.

Stages 1, 2 and 3 have these eight controls. Defaults marked by number refer to the stage. The shared controls follow.

For the normal track effect cards and chain controls, see Effects. For shared effect channels, see The mixer.