Radio LBB: Saturation

For the last 50 years audio engineers have worked hard to create recording signal paths that are as clean as possible, resulting in the near-perfection, hi fidelity sound that can be enjoyed today. 

I’m not interested in that. 

Fortunately for me many mix engineers continue today to use saturation (adding harmonic frequencies through distortion), as a means of deliberate creative processing, simply because most of the time it just sounds brilliant!

Whether across a whole mix, just on a single instrument or vocal, whether used in excess or just a sprinkle, the effect of saturation will often add warmth, fullness and musical glue. Here’s a playlist that explores the creative ways in which saturation is used, sometimes subtly, sometimes less so.