What is Delay?

Time-based audio effect.

When a sound is played, it is captured and then replayed after a period of time. This period
— often measured in milliseconds — is called the delay time.

What makes delay magical is how it transforms space, rhythm, and emotion in a track.

Can be used to simulate natural echoes or craft intricate rhythmic patterns.

To understand delay, imagine shouting across a canyon and hearing your voice bounce back
a moment later. That’s a delay in its most natural form. In the studio, we recreate and
manipulate this phenomenon electronically.

1. Delay Time

Controls how long the delay waits before playing back the echoed sound. It’s usually
measured in milliseconds (ms) or in rhythmic values like 1/4 note, 1/8 dotted, etc., if synced
to the song’s tempo.

 Short times (1–40ms): Flanging, doubling, or thickening (no distinct repeats)

 Medium times (50–200ms): Slapback delay — good for vocals, guitar
 Long times (200ms – 1s or more): Echo-like effects, rhythm-building, ambient

Musical use:

 Slapback vocal delay in rockabilly uses ~80ms.

 Example: U2’s The Edge uses dotted 1/8-note delay (~375ms at 120 BPM).

2. Feedback (or Regeneration)

Controls how many times the delayed signal repeats. Internally, this sends the delayed
signal back into the delay line.

 Low feedback (10–30%): Just one or two soft repeats — subtle and clean.
 Medium (40–60%): Several fading echoes — musical, rhythmic layers.
 High (70–90%): Many repeats — builds atmosphere or texture.
 100%: Infinite loop — used for looping, drones, or self-oscillation.

Musical use:

 A vocal throw might use 30% feedback for a ghostly echo.

  Sound design or ambient textures can push it close to 100% for "delay clouds".

Feedback Feedforward

3. Mix (or Wet/Dry)

Controls how much of the delayed (wet) signal is mixed with the original (dry) sound.

 0% Wet (100% Dry): No delay heard

 50/50: Equal parts original and echo
 100% Wet (0% Dry): Only the delayed signal — often used on return tracks

Musical use:

 For lead vocals, use ~10–20% wet to add subtle echo.

 For sound FX or ambient hits, use 100% wet to place them in the background.

4. Sync / Free Mode

What it is:

 Sync mode ties delay time to the song’s BPM — ideal for rhythmic effects.
 Free mode lets you set delay in milliseconds for more natural or off-grid effects.

Musical use:

 Sync is perfect for EDM, hip-hop, or delay-based guitar playing.

 Free is better for subtle spatial effects or when matching a vocal phrase’s phrasing.

5. Filters (Low Cut / High Cut)

Shapes the tone of the delayed echoes by removing high or low frequencies from the
repeats.
  Low Cut (High-Pass Filter): Removes bass from delays to avoid muddiness.
 High Cut (Low-Pass Filter): Removes treble for a vintage, analog, or tape-like sound.

Musical use:

 Filtered delays sit better in the mix and don’t compete with the dry signal.
 Cutting highs gives the delay a "behind the curtain" feel.
 Cutting lows helps maintain clarity and punch in low-end instruments.

Example: Listen to Sia’s “Elastic Heart” and focus on how the delay is working on the vocals.

6. Modulation (Rate and Depth)

Applies vibrato or chorus-like movement to the delayed repeats.

 Rate: How fast the pitch modulation moves.

 Depth: How wide the pitch deviation is.

Musical use:

 Adds warmth, analog character, or dreaminess.

 Common in tape delays or vintage digital delays (e.g., Memory Man, RE-201 Space
Echo)

Example:
Tame Impala – “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”

7. Ping-Pong / Stereo Mode

What it is:

 In ping-pong delay, the repeats bounce between the left and right speakers,
alternating direction with each repeat.
 In stereo delay, you can set different times for the left and right delays.

Musical use:

 Adds width and movement

 Great for synths, FX, or making vocals more dynamic

Example:
ODESZA – “Across The Room”
8. Tap Tempo

A button that allows you to tap in the delay time manually — helpful when syncing to live
or non-grid music.

Musical use:

 Great in live performances or when syncing to an emotional, tempo-varying vocal.

9. Duck / Ducking Delay

What it is: The delayed signal is automatically turned down when the dry signal is present,
and fades in only when the dry signal stops.

Musical use:

 Keeps vocals upfront and clean, but adds space when the singer pauses
 Common in modern pop and EDM vocal chains

Example:
The Chainsmokers – “Closer”
Types of Delay

1. Slapback Delay

This is a short, single echo — often between 75ms to 150ms. It’s popular in rockabilly, early
rock ‘n’ roll, and classic pop vocals. Think of Elvis Presley. The vocal doesn’t repeat like a
loop; it “bounces” once, adding depth without clutter.

Example: Elvis Presley – “Heartbreak Hotel”

2. Ping-Pong Delay

This delay bounces the sound from one speaker to the other — left to right and back again.
It creates a stereo movement and is particularly useful for vocals, synths, or guitars that
need to feel “alive” in the stereo field.

Example: Daft Punk – “Instant Crush”

3. Tape Delay

Originally created using magnetic tape machines, this type of delay gives a warm, warbly,
analog character. The delay can degrade over time, pitch can wobble, and the feedback
loops can “saturate” — all characteristics now emulated digitally.

Example: Pink Floyd – “Run Like Hell”

How It Works:

Tape delay is literally a tape machine — like a cassette player — used to create echoes.
Here’s how:

 The original sound is recorded onto magnetic tape.

 The tape moves across playback heads placed at various distances.
 As the tape moves, you hear the delayed versions of the recorded sound played
back after a short time.

If you repeat the process (by feeding the output back into the input), you get multiple
echoes.

What You Can Control:

 Delay time = distance between record and playback heads

 Feedback = how much signal loops back
 Tape speed = changes pitch and time
 Saturation = comes from the magnetic tape distortion

Sound Character:

 Warm, gritty, and slightly wobbly (because the tape isn't perfect)
 Pitch can flutter a little (wow & flutter)
 You’ll hear tape hiss and distortion as part of the sound

4. Digital Delay

Clean and precise, this form of delay reproduces the original sound with no coloration. It’s
perfect for rhythmic patterns or where you want exact replicas of a sound at set intervals.

Example: The Edge (U2) – “Where The Streets Have No Name”

5. Analog Delay (Bucket Brigade Delay)

This is a precursor to digital delay using capacitors. The repeats degrade each time, getting
darker and more distorted — a sonic signature that’s deeply musical.

Sound Character:

 Warm, dark, muffled

 Less precise than digital delay
 Each repeat loses high frequencies, making it sound more organic
  No pitch wobble (unless modulation is added)

Example: Radiohead – “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”

6. Multi-Tap Delay

A complex delay where multiple echoes (taps) are generated at different times and
volumes. Useful for creating rhythm or evolving textures.

Example: Imogen Heap – “Hide and Seek”

Found in Plugins like FabFilter Timeless 3 and Logic Pro Stock Delay

Creative Uses of Delay

1. Tempo-Synced Delay for Groove

Delays synced to the BPM create rhythmic interactions. A dotted 8th note delay can create a
“call and response” with the dry signal.

2. Atmospheric Sound Design

Long delays with feedback and filtering can build ambient textures. This is great for intros,
breakdowns, and transitions.

3. Auto-Ducking Delay

Some modern delays “duck” when the dry signal plays, then swell in once the input stops. It
prevents delay cluttering the mix.

Delay vs Reverb

 Reverb simulates space by adding many micro-echoes. It creates “wash” and

“decay.”
 Delay gives you distinct repetitions of the sound, where each echo is still clear.

You can even combine both: add a delay to a vocal, then send that delay into a reverb to
make the repeats drift into the background.

Advanced Techniques
Reverse Delay

Takes the delayed sound and plays it in reverse. This gives an ethereal “pull” before the
original note hits — like a ghost reaching forward.

Example: Nine Inch Nails – “Closer”

Granular Delay

Chops the incoming audio into grains and delays each grain differently. It creates complex,
glitchy textures.

Example: Aphex Twin – “Windowlicker”

Delay in Mixing vs Sound Design

In mixing, delay is often subtle — used to push a vocal back in space, widen guitars, or
thicken a synth. It’s controlled, often tempo-locked, and treated like an ambient tool.

In sound design, delay becomes an instrument. You can crank feedback to make loops
evolve, automate delay time for pitch effects, or freeze delay buffers for stutter FX. Here,
delay is not just a space enhancer — it's a narrative.

USES OF DELAY

1. Creating Depth and Space

Delay can make a mono or dry sound feel like it’s happening in a real, dimensional space —
even without reverb.

 A short delay (30–80ms) added to a vocal or synth can create a sense of distance or
ambience without clouding the mix.

Example: Elvis Presley – “Blue Moon of Kentucky”

2. Widening Stereo Image

Using dual delays with slightly different times in left and right channels (e.g., 20ms left,
40ms right) creates a stereo widening effect. This is especially useful in vocals or synths to
make them feel bigger without panning hard or duplicating tracks.

This technique is often called the Haas effect.

Used in:

 EDM vocals
 Pop choruses
 Synth pads and leads

Example: Daft Punk – “Digital Love”

3. Rhythmic Enhancement

Delay can be tempo-synced to create rhythmic echoes that complement or even drive the
groove.

 Set delay to 1/4, 1/8, or dotted notes

 Use feedback for multiple taps
 Combine with reverb or filters for movement

Example: U2 – “Where the Streets Have No Name” and Flume – “Holdin On”

4. Creating Texture and Atmosphere

Delay can be used to smear or layer sounds, creating thick walls of sound or ambient tails
that evolve.

 Add long feedback delays to pads or plucks

 Automate delay time or feedback for evolving textures
 Combine with reverb, pitch shift, or distortion for sound design

Example: Radiohead – “Everything in Its Right Place”

Brian Eno & ambient music: Delay loops were foundational in creating ambient music. Eno
and Robert Fripp used tape delays with feedback to layer harmonics endlessly.

5. Filling Empty Spaces

Delay fills gaps in vocal or instrumental phrases so that the music feels more continuous or
emotional.

Example: Adele – “Rolling in the Deep” (verses)

6. Call and Response / Creative Dialogue

Delay can mimic a response to the dry sound — almost like a second instrument echoing or
answering the first.

 Especially effective in guitar solos, hip-hop vocals, or synth arpeggios

 Can be used in ping-pong mode (alternating L/R sides) for added effect

Example: Pink Floyd – “Run Like Hell”

7. Looping and Live Performance

Long delays with feedback at 100% can loop a phrase or riff — this was the precursor to
modern loop pedals.

 Guitarists and vocalists use delay as a live looping tool

 Used in ambient, solo acts, and experimental performances

Example: KT Tunstall – “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”

8. Sound Design and Special FX

Delay can become a weird, expressive sound when you:

 Modulate the delay time (creates pitch wobble or Doppler effects)

 Reverse the delay
 Use filtered delay (only echoes highs or lows)
 Feed delay into distortion or phaser for alien tones

Example: Portishead – “Roads and Aphex Twin or Flying Lotus

9. Vocal Delay Throw

This is a classic mix technique where a delay is added to only a specific word or phrase —
usually at the end of a line — to create a dramatic or haunting effect.

It’s done by automating send to delay bus just on a single word

Example: Sia – “Chandelier”

10. Tempo-Based Automation and Build-ups

In electronic or cinematic music, producers often automate delay parameters (time,

feedback, filter) to create tension, risers, or breakdowns.

 Delay time slowly increases = stretching time

 Feedback rises = spiraling loop build-up
 Combined with reverb or distortion = intensity

Example: Zedd – “Stay”