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Table Of Contents
Polyphonic Distortions in the Real World
The ES2 features a dedicated distortion effect in the Effects section. Given the inclusion
of this effect, you may be wondering what benefit the Drive function in the Filter section
brings.
The Distortion circuit in the Effects section affects the entire polyphonic output of the
ES2. Every rock guitarist knows that more complex chords—other than major chords,
parallel fifths, and octaves—sound “rough,” when using distortion. Therefore, distorted
guitar playing generally involves few voices, or parallel fifths and octaves.
The ES2 filter Drive parameter affects each voice individually, allowing you to play
complex chords without introducing the unpleasant intermodulations that the Distortion
effect can add to your sound.
Modulating Filter 2’s Frequency in the ES2
The Filter 2 cutoff frequency can be modulated by the sine wave of Oscillator 1, which is
always generated, even when the oscillator is switched off. The level of this sine signal
can be mixed in at the output stage with the Sine Level parameter (see Thickening the
ES2’s Sound with Sine Level).
The effect of such filter modulations in the audio spectrum is unpredictable, but the
results tend to remain harmonic if you avoid high modulation intensity values. The
FM parameter is used to define the intensity of this filter frequency modulation.
Note: Don’t confuse this filter frequency modulation with the oscillator FM feature
(Oscillator 1 is modulated by Oscillator 2, as described in Using Frequency Modulation in
the ES2). If Oscillator 1 is frequency-modulated by Oscillator 2, it does not influence the
sine wave signal used to modulate the cutoff frequencies.
72 Chapter 5 ES2