diff --git a/packages/core/controls.mjs b/packages/core/controls.mjs
index aaa6421b..9b1b8c0d 100644
--- a/packages/core/controls.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/controls.mjs
@@ -1269,7 +1269,10 @@ export const { roomsize, size, sz, rsize } = registerControl('roomsize', 'size',
 // ['sclaves'],
 // ['scrash'],
 /**
- * Wave shaping distortion. CAUTION: it might get loud
+ * (Deprecated) Wave shaping distortion. WARNING: can suddenly get unpredictably loud.
+ * Please use distort instead, which has a more predictable response curve
+ * second option in optional array syntax (ex: ".9:.5") applies a postgain to the output
+ *
  *
  * @name shape
  * @param {number | Pattern} distortion between 0 and 1
@@ -1277,7 +1280,22 @@ export const { roomsize, size, sz, rsize } = registerControl('roomsize', 'size',
  * s("bd sd [~ bd] sd,hh*8").shape("<0 .2 .4 .6 .8>")
  *
  */
-export const { shape } = registerControl('shape');
+export const { shape } = registerControl(['shape', 'shapevol']);
+/**
+ * Wave shaping distortion. CAUTION: it can get loud.
+ * Second option in optional array syntax (ex: ".9:.5") applies a postgain to the output.
+ * Most useful values are usually between 0 and 10 (depending on source gain). If you are feeling adventurous, you can turn it up to 11 and beyond ;)
+ *
+ * @name distort
+ * @synonyms dist
+ * @param {number | Pattern} distortion
+ * @example
+ * s("bd sd [~ bd] sd,hh*8").distort("<0 2 3 10:.5>")
+ * @example
+ * note("d1!8").s("sine").penv(36).pdecay(.12).decay(.23).distort("8:.4")
+ *
+ */
+export const { distort, dist } = registerControl(['distort', 'distortvol'], 'dist');
 /**
  * Dynamics Compressor. The params are `compressor("threshold:ratio:knee:attack:release")`
  * More info [here](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/DynamicsCompressorNode?retiredLocale=de#instance_properties)
@@ -1411,7 +1429,6 @@ export const { octersubsub } = registerControl('octersubsub');
 export const { ring } = registerControl('ring');
 export const { ringf } = registerControl('ringf');
 export const { ringdf } = registerControl('ringdf');
-export const { distort } = registerControl('distort');
 export const { freeze } = registerControl('freeze');
 export const { xsdelay } = registerControl('xsdelay');
 export const { tsdelay } = registerControl('tsdelay');
diff --git a/packages/superdough/superdough.mjs b/packages/superdough/superdough.mjs
index 4d67e038..ef62118e 100644
--- a/packages/superdough/superdough.mjs
+++ b/packages/superdough/superdough.mjs
@@ -316,6 +316,9 @@ export const superdough = async (value, deadline, hapDuration) => {
     coarse,
     crush,
     shape,
+    shapevol = 1,
+    distort,
+    distortvol = 1,
     pan,
     vowel,
     delay = 0,
@@ -457,7 +460,8 @@ export const superdough = async (value, deadline, hapDuration) => {
   // effects
   coarse !== undefined && chain.push(getWorklet(ac, 'coarse-processor', { coarse }));
   crush !== undefined && chain.push(getWorklet(ac, 'crush-processor', { crush }));
-  shape !== undefined && chain.push(getWorklet(ac, 'shape-processor', { shape }));
+  shape !== undefined && chain.push(getWorklet(ac, 'shape-processor', { shape, postgain: shapevol }));
+  distort !== undefined && chain.push(getWorklet(ac, 'distort-processor', { distort, postgain: distortvol }));
 
   compressorThreshold !== undefined &&
     chain.push(
diff --git a/packages/superdough/worklets.mjs b/packages/superdough/worklets.mjs
index 7bb43f87..4f2965ee 100644
--- a/packages/superdough/worklets.mjs
+++ b/packages/superdough/worklets.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
+// coarse, crush, and shape processors adapted from dktr0's webdirt: https://github.com/dktr0/WebDirt/blob/5ce3d698362c54d6e1b68acc47eb2955ac62c793/dist/AudioWorklets.js
 // LICENSE GNU General Public License v3.0 see https://github.com/dktr0/WebDirt/blob/main/LICENSE
-// all the credit goes to dktr0's webdirt: https://github.com/dktr0/WebDirt/blob/5ce3d698362c54d6e1b68acc47eb2955ac62c793/dist/AudioWorklets.js
-// <3
 
 class CoarseProcessor extends AudioWorkletProcessor {
   static get parameterDescriptors() {
@@ -9,28 +8,27 @@ class CoarseProcessor extends AudioWorkletProcessor {
 
   constructor() {
     super();
-    this.notStarted = true;
   }
 
   process(inputs, outputs, parameters) {
     const input = inputs[0];
     const output = outputs[0];
-    const coarse = parameters.coarse;
     const blockSize = 128;
-    const hasInput = !(input[0] === undefined);
-    if (hasInput) {
-      this.notStarted = false;
-      output[0][0] = input[0][0];
-      for (let n = 1; n < blockSize; n++) {
-        for (let o = 0; o < output.length; o++) {
-          output[o][n] = n % coarse == 0 ? input[0][n] : output[o][n - 1];
-        }
+
+    let coarse = parameters.coarse[0] ?? 0;
+    coarse = Math.max(1, coarse);
+
+    if (input[0] == null || output[0] == null) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    for (let n = 0; n < blockSize; n++) {
+      for (let i = 0; i < input.length; i++) {
+        output[i][n] = n % coarse === 0 ? input[i][n] : output[i][n - 1];
       }
     }
-    return this.notStarted || hasInput;
+    return true;
   }
 }
-
 registerProcessor('coarse-processor', CoarseProcessor);
 
 class CrushProcessor extends AudioWorkletProcessor {
@@ -40,69 +38,94 @@ class CrushProcessor extends AudioWorkletProcessor {
 
   constructor() {
     super();
-    this.notStarted = true;
   }
 
   process(inputs, outputs, parameters) {
     const input = inputs[0];
     const output = outputs[0];
-    const crush = parameters.crush;
     const blockSize = 128;
-    const hasInput = !(input[0] === undefined);
-    if (hasInput) {
-      this.notStarted = false;
-      if (crush.length === 1) {
-        const x = Math.pow(2, crush[0] - 1);
-        for (let n = 0; n < blockSize; n++) {
-          const value = Math.round(input[0][n] * x) / x;
-          for (let o = 0; o < output.length; o++) {
-            output[o][n] = value;
-          }
-        }
-      } else {
-        for (let n = 0; n < blockSize; n++) {
-          let x = Math.pow(2, crush[n] - 1);
-          const value = Math.round(input[0][n] * x) / x;
-          for (let o = 0; o < output.length; o++) {
-            output[o][n] = value;
-          }
-        }
+
+    let crush = parameters.crush[0] ?? 8;
+    crush = Math.max(1, crush);
+
+    if (input[0] == null || output[0] == null) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    for (let n = 0; n < blockSize; n++) {
+      for (let i = 0; i < input.length; i++) {
+        const x = Math.pow(2, crush - 1);
+        output[i][n] = Math.round(input[i][n] * x) / x;
       }
     }
-    return this.notStarted || hasInput;
+    return true;
   }
 }
 registerProcessor('crush-processor', CrushProcessor);
 
 class ShapeProcessor extends AudioWorkletProcessor {
   static get parameterDescriptors() {
-    return [{ name: 'shape', defaultValue: 0 }];
+    return [
+      { name: 'shape', defaultValue: 0 },
+      { name: 'postgain', defaultValue: 1 },
+    ];
   }
 
   constructor() {
     super();
-    this.notStarted = true;
   }
 
   process(inputs, outputs, parameters) {
     const input = inputs[0];
     const output = outputs[0];
-    const shape0 = parameters.shape[0];
-    const shape1 = shape0 < 1 ? shape0 : 1.0 - 4e-10;
-    const shape = (2.0 * shape1) / (1.0 - shape1);
     const blockSize = 128;
-    const hasInput = !(input[0] === undefined);
-    if (hasInput) {
-      this.notStarted = false;
-      for (let n = 0; n < blockSize; n++) {
-        const value = ((1 + shape) * input[0][n]) / (1 + shape * Math.abs(input[0][n]));
-        for (let o = 0; o < output.length; o++) {
-          output[o][n] = value;
-        }
+
+    let shape = parameters.shape[0];
+    shape = shape < 1 ? shape : 1.0 - 4e-10;
+    shape = (2.0 * shape) / (1.0 - shape);
+    const postgain = Math.max(0.001, Math.min(1, parameters.postgain[0]));
+
+    if (input[0] == null || output[0] == null) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    for (let n = 0; n < blockSize; n++) {
+      for (let i = 0; i < input.length; i++) {
+        output[i][n] = (((1 + shape) * input[i][n]) / (1 + shape * Math.abs(input[i][n]))) * postgain;
       }
     }
-    return this.notStarted || hasInput;
+    return true;
   }
 }
-
 registerProcessor('shape-processor', ShapeProcessor);
+
+class DistortProcessor extends AudioWorkletProcessor {
+  static get parameterDescriptors() {
+    return [
+      { name: 'distort', defaultValue: 0 },
+      { name: 'postgain', defaultValue: 1 },
+    ];
+  }
+
+  constructor() {
+    super();
+  }
+
+  process(inputs, outputs, parameters) {
+    const input = inputs[0];
+    const output = outputs[0];
+    const blockSize = 128;
+
+    const shape = Math.expm1(parameters.distort[0]);
+    const postgain = Math.max(0.001, Math.min(1, parameters.postgain[0]));
+
+    if (input[0] == null || output[0] == null) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    for (let n = 0; n < blockSize; n++) {
+      for (let i = 0; i < input.length; i++) {
+        output[i][n] = (((1 + shape) * input[i][n]) / (1 + shape * Math.abs(input[i][n]))) * postgain;
+      }
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+}
+registerProcessor('distort-processor', DistortProcessor);
diff --git a/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap b/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap
index dc6da174..08335f1b 100644
--- a/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap
+++ b/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap
@@ -1933,6 +1933,96 @@ exports[`runs examples > example "detune" example index 0 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
+exports[`runs examples > example "distort" example index 0 1`] = `
+[
+  "[ 0/1 → 1/8 | s:hh distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 0/1 → 1/4 | s:bd distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 1/8 → 1/4 | s:hh distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 1/4 → 3/8 | s:hh distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 1/4 → 1/2 | s:sd distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 3/8 → 1/2 | s:hh distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 1/2 → 5/8 | s:hh distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 5/8 → 3/4 | s:bd distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 5/8 → 3/4 | s:hh distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 3/4 → 7/8 | s:hh distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 3/4 → 1/1 | s:sd distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 7/8 → 1/1 | s:hh distort:0 ]",
+  "[ 1/1 → 9/8 | s:hh distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 1/1 → 5/4 | s:bd distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 9/8 → 5/4 | s:hh distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 5/4 → 11/8 | s:hh distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 5/4 → 3/2 | s:sd distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 11/8 → 3/2 | s:hh distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 3/2 → 13/8 | s:hh distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 13/8 → 7/4 | s:bd distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 13/8 → 7/4 | s:hh distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 7/4 → 15/8 | s:hh distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 7/4 → 2/1 | s:sd distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 15/8 → 2/1 | s:hh distort:2 ]",
+  "[ 2/1 → 17/8 | s:hh distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 2/1 → 9/4 | s:bd distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 17/8 → 9/4 | s:hh distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 9/4 → 19/8 | s:hh distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 9/4 → 5/2 | s:sd distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 19/8 → 5/2 | s:hh distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 5/2 → 21/8 | s:hh distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 21/8 → 11/4 | s:bd distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 21/8 → 11/4 | s:hh distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 11/4 → 23/8 | s:hh distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 11/4 → 3/1 | s:sd distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 23/8 → 3/1 | s:hh distort:3 ]",
+  "[ 3/1 → 25/8 | s:hh distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 3/1 → 13/4 | s:bd distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 25/8 → 13/4 | s:hh distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 13/4 → 27/8 | s:hh distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 13/4 → 7/2 | s:sd distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 27/8 → 7/2 | s:hh distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 7/2 → 29/8 | s:hh distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 29/8 → 15/4 | s:bd distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 29/8 → 15/4 | s:hh distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 15/4 → 31/8 | s:hh distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 15/4 → 4/1 | s:sd distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+  "[ 31/8 → 4/1 | s:hh distort:10 distortvol:0.5 ]",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`runs examples > example "distort" example index 1 1`] = `
+[
+  "[ 0/1 → 1/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 1/8 → 1/4 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 1/4 → 3/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 3/8 → 1/2 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 1/2 → 5/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 5/8 → 3/4 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 3/4 → 7/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 7/8 → 1/1 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 1/1 → 9/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 9/8 → 5/4 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 5/4 → 11/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 11/8 → 3/2 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 3/2 → 13/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 13/8 → 7/4 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 7/4 → 15/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 15/8 → 2/1 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 2/1 → 17/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 17/8 → 9/4 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 9/4 → 19/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 19/8 → 5/2 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 5/2 → 21/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 21/8 → 11/4 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 11/4 → 23/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 23/8 → 3/1 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 3/1 → 25/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 25/8 → 13/4 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 13/4 → 27/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 27/8 → 7/2 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 7/2 → 29/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 29/8 → 15/4 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 15/4 → 31/8 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+  "[ 31/8 → 4/1 | note:d1 s:sine penv:36 pdecay:0.12 decay:0.23 distort:8 distortvol:0.4 ]",
+]
+`;
+
 exports[`runs examples > example "djf" example index 0 1`] = `
 [
   "[ 0/1 → 1/4 | n:0 s:superzow octave:3 djf:0.5 ]",