Saturation in the mix
Saturation is a defining factor in ‘that analogue sound’. It can make sounds fat and beefy, smooth and warm, or crunchy and edgy.
Placed strategically on single tracks and buses, it can produce a more cohesive mix.
The most obvious effect is the addition of harmonic content, most easily heard on sounds that don’t have much to begin with, such as subby sine basses. By adding upper harmonics, a deep bass that vanishes on smaller speaker systems magically becomes audible. Generally, transistor distortion adds sharpness and crunch, and valve and tape are associated with warmth.
Sharp transients can be bothersome, but saturation can effectively control them. Used gently, it can invisibly reduce peaks, gaining headroom, while stronger settings audibly soften and ‘smoosh’ transients while retaining – even emphasising – lower punch and impact. Try it on ticky hi-hats for an audible example.
Saturation is also a form of dynamic control, attenuating loud parts of the signal. Tape in particular has squashy, compression-like qualities, as do some valve saturations.
Each saturation device affects harmonics, tra transients and dynamics differently, and getting to know yours will help you pick the right one. Fo For example, transformers saturate more at low fre frequencies. Since transformers are found in the in input and output stages of much classic gear, th the accumulation of distortion can significantly w warm your bottom end.
Where you place saturation can make a pr profound difference. There are no concrete ru rules, but it generally works well at the start of the chain, perhaps after corrective EQ.
Fo For heavier saturation, placing compression fir first gives more consistent distortion. Saturation placed on group and master buses can add cohesion, but beware that more complex input signals result in increased intermodulation distortion, which is pretty unmusical. This is why single notes distort nicely while chords generate mush and noise.