What Is Delay Effect Used For

[3notes]

Title says it all.

I've owned a few Fender amps and they all had Delay as an effect though I've never known how to use it. I've messed with it and it can be kinda cool but what are they actually built for.??

[clintj]

Listen to most of the guitar work from U2's Joshua Tree album or Pink Floyd's song 'Run Like He**'. Delay gives you that echoing, fading sound on notes and chords, and as part of a lead guitar distorted sound can give you a thickening of the sound as the repeats stack up on top of the original note.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by 3notes

Title says it all.

I've owned a few Fender amps and they all had Delay as an effect though I've never known how to use it. I've messed with it and it can be kinda cool but what are they actually built for.??

Don't know anything about Fender Amps and their delay offering.


But , in general
They like all effects are used for getting a different sound. Depending on setting, anything from a slight thickening of the sound to an actual repeat echo.

[Steel and wood]

I don't think I've ever seen a Fender tube amp with inbuilt delay.

That aside, a short delay setting (slap back echo) per the rockabilly guys is how I mostly like it.

[j3ffr0]

It is the one effect that is worth having. It is often used to make a guitar solo sound bigger. Set it the time equivalent to a quarter or eight note and your in business. You won't hear it necessarily... but is very often there in recordings. I always used it live too... nearly every solo... only noticeable to most if the rest of the band stopped playing.

[muscmp]

as j3ffr0 said, it is a very worthwhile sound for electric guitar. you've heard it often but didn't recognize it as such.

as with all amps, whether they have effects or not, the main method is to twist the knobs until you like it.

play music!

[Jerry D]

Well, NOBODY answered the OP's question.

From Wikipedia (which the OP could have looked up himself):

"Delay is an audio effect and an effects unit which records an input signal to an audio storage medium, and then plays it back after a period of time. The delayed signal may either be played back multiple times, or played back into the recording again, to create the sound of a repeating, decaying echo. Delay effects range from a subtle echo effect to a pronounced blending of previous sounds with new sounds. Delay effects can be created using tape loops, an approach developed in the 1940s and 1950s; analog effects units, which were introduced in the 1970s; digital effects pedals, introduced in 1984; and audio software plugins, developed in the 2000s."

[3notes]

Oh wow. I learned something today.!! Great replies and it makes total sense to me. It fattens the note. So use it in very subtle ways to achieve this. Very cool. Can't wait to try it.

Steel and Wood... I've never owned a Fender tube amp. My current amp is a Fender Champion 40. It has a wide range of effects built-in that can be selected. And, it has a knob that controls the level of that effect. And, it has a switch which controls the "tempo" of the selected effect. Fantastic amp for 200 bucks.

Sorry Jerry D but the previous 6 replies made more sense to me than our wiki post.

Thanks for all the replies.

[6L6]

Just listen to Scotty Moore, James Burton, Darrel Higham, Cliff Gallup, Brian Setzer and Rev. Horton Heat for starters.

Best effect of all by a mile!

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by clintj

Listen to most of the guitar work from U2's Joshua Tree album or Pink Floyd's song 'Run Like He**'. Delay gives you that echoing, fading sound on notes and chords, and as part of a lead guitar distorted sound can give you a thickening of the sound as the repeats stack up on top of the original note.

+1.

3notes, have someone point out to you what are the notes played in Run Like x and which ones are repeated and you'll get a great understanding of one of the uses for a delay.

I recommend getting a good clean setting, set the delay at some level (i.e. half second) and play some arpeggios.

[3notes]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

+1.

3notes, have someone point out to you what are the notes played in Run Like x and which ones are repeated and you'll get a great understanding of one of the uses for a delay.

I recommend getting a good clean setting, set the delay at some level (i.e. half second) and play some arpeggios.

Will do. Thanks.

[3notes]

Howdy people.

I just had an awakening. Played using the delay in a tight sequence for the first time. I've never heard that sort of power pushing out of the amp. THAT is no doubt the most effective effect that I've ever heard. I am amazed. On the FX knob(at about 3) I used reverb combined with delay and the volume was astounding. Freaking amazing.

So glad I asked "how is the delay effect used.??"

Now THAT is a banjo killer.!!

Unbelievable. I'm blown away...

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by 3notes

Howdy people.

I just had an awakening. Played using the delay in a tight sequence for the first time. I've never heard that sort of power pushing out of the amp. THAT is no doubt the most effective effect that I've ever heard. I am amazed. On the FX knob(at about 3) I used reverb combined with delay and the volume was astounding. Freaking amazing.

So glad I asked "how is the delay effect used.??"

Now THAT is a banjo killer.!!

Unbelievable. I'm blown away...

Delay and Reverb can do some amazing things.

[Steel and wood]

Originally Posted by 3notes

Oh wow. I learned something today.!! Great replies and it makes total sense to me. It fattens the note. So use it in very subtle ways to achieve this. Very cool. Can't wait to try it.

Steel and Wood... I've never owned a Fender tube amp. My current amp is a Fender Champion 40. It has a wide range of effects built-in that can be selected. And, it has a knob that controls the level of that effect. And, it has a switch which controls the "tempo" of the selected effect. Fantastic amp for 200 bucks.

Sorry Jerry D but the previous 6 replies made more sense to me than our wiki post.

Thanks for all the replies.

Apologies,

Fender solid state amps will usually have multiple inbuilt effects like delay. (Took for granted that you were talking tube amps).

[redir]

Like clintj said to me the first thing I think of when delay is used as a broad effect is U2 or Pink Floyd. That's taking delay as far as it can go. A lot of people will use it to simply enhance a tight room and open it up just a little bit. On the other end of the spectrum is the big ambient infinite delays.

You just got to keep playing with it till you find what you like. I use two Boss DD2 pedals. One set up for slap back and the other for a longer ambient delay. I also have a DL4 but i don't use it in my rig. It's a great delay to play around with though.