What is delay?
Delay is an effect that plays back the incoming sound after a set amount of time. Because the same sound is heard after the original, short settings create thickness and width, and long settings create echo-like repeats. It is used on a wide range of sources, including vocals, guitar, and synths.
Basic parameters
Delay Time is the time from the original to the repeat, Feedback is how many times the repeats continue, and Mix or Wet/Dry sets the balance between the original and the repeats. On some units the repeats keep building if you push Feedback too far, so watch your levels.
Syncing to tempo
Using your DAW’s tempo sync lets you choose intervals that fit the beat, such as quarter notes, eighth notes, or dotted eighth notes. Repeats are easier to place in the gaps of a vocal or a phrase, and the delay time follows along if you change the tempo. You can also specify the time freely in milliseconds.
Using it in a mix
Inserting a delay on an aux and sending to it from several tracks lets you share the same spatial character while adjusting the amount individually. Cutting the lows and the highs of the repeats keeps them out of the way of the original sound. It is also useful when you want depth while keeping more definition than a reverb would.
Common types of delay
These include slapback, a single short repeat that adds thickness; ping-pong delay, which bounces the repeats between the sides; and tape delay, which reproduces the wow and the saturation of tape machines. When choosing a type, check not only the number of repeats but also the tone and the movement in stereo.
Further reading
The benefits of setting the delay time to the BPM on a guitar multi-effects unit are introduced in Why I use a multi-effects unit (Japanese).
