How does Distortion Mix actually work?

  • If you set the Distortion Mix to zero, and change any distortion parameters: type, tone, etc. you can hear that this affects your sound.
    So how does that Mix setting actually work?

    I think it's reasonable to assume that you can use it to dial in the amount of a pre-determined intensity of distortion, but you can't.
    That's how the Reverb and most of the other effects seem to work.

  • Additionally, I noticed that on my Ti2 Desktop - if you hold shift and turn the "Type/MIx" knob, you should be able to adjust the mix, but nope!
    For some reason, shift does not work with that knob, you are only able to adjust the distortion type. This really feels like they intentionally made MIX obsolete.

  • If you set the Distortion Mix to zero, and change any distortion parameters: type, tone, etc. you can hear that this affects your sound.
    So how does that Mix setting actually work?

    I have no idea how (techically) the mix setting is working but I am impressed you actually managed to hear such subtle differences, I was using a simple saw wave and I can verify the above. However I know this: Even in my DAW, if I set an effect in a channel, having the effect completely off is rarely (maybe never) equal to having the effect on but with wet amount =0. Because the effect is on I guess even a mix of 0 still applies to the sound but very subtly. In the virus you can hear similar subtle effects with chorus as well, especially air chorus, have a go at air chorus mix = 0 VS chorus off.

    Additionally, I noticed that on my Ti2 Desktop - if you hold shift and turn the "Type/MIx" knob, you should be able to adjust the mix, but nope!
    For some reason, shift does not work with that knob, you are only able to adjust the distortion type. This really feels like they intentionally made MIX obsolete.

    This knob depends on the effect you are applying. In distortion for instance this knob controls the type while in phaser it actually controls mix, hence the knob is labeled "type/mix" and not "type" or "mix". The shift button controls the lower parameter of a knob if said knob has 2 parameters labeled. For instance the noise volume has 2 parameters labeled - noise volume and ring mod below. Here, shift+noise volume controls ring mod amount.

  • Additionally, I noticed that on my Ti2 Desktop - if you [...] turn the "Type/MIx" knob, [...] you are only able to adjust the distortion type.

    ... which is likely the least intelligible implementation of any knob on any piece of gear, ever. Who needs to change the distortion type, during a performance... with a dial — and as trade off have no access (pun alert) to the distortion blend?!


    And as if that was not sufficient, Distortion Mix is also not available as a Soft Knob destination.


    Which means if you want control over the Distortion Mix, you have to waste a Soft Knob AND a Mod Matrix slot, for a functionality that already has its own dedicated knob on the synth!

    Bass Player and Synthesist.
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