686758_original-10+20-30_with_adjusted_volumes

Another experiment with digital clipping.

This time I was trying to recreate the kind of waveshape that can be obtained with a multi-fold wave-folder.
A wave-folder is a type of wave-shaping. This kind of effect was initially common as a component of some modular synths. No, of course, also exists in virtual format (VST, etc), either as a separate effect or as part of synths.
In wave-folding, once a wave reaches 0dB volume (or some other set limit), it is 'reflected'. In theory, if the input volume is loud enough, multiple folds can occur, where the wave hits the upper limit and is reflected down but part of the wave extends so far down that hits the low limit and is reflected up again.

I started with this sound, s pure sine wave:
https://freesound.org/people/testuser2346/sounds/686758/

Created and saved several versions of the sound in Audacity where I boosted the volume to clipping. The volumes were +10dB, +20dB and +30dB.

The I re-loaded the sounds and the original sound into Audacity. I inverted the polarity of the +10dB and the +30dB. I also adjusted the volume of each sound as follows:
- Original sound - no adjustment
- Version clipped at +10dB -> -3dB reduction
- Version clipped at +20dB -> -6dB reduction
- Version clipped at +30dB -> -9dB reduction
This produces a waveshape similar to what would be obtained by running a sine wave through a wave-folder.