Doubling and Modulation
The term “doubling” refers to the process of
using a subtle delay to thicken your sound.
To get a doubling effect, set Time between
50 and 100 ms, Feedback for minimal
repeats (one or two), and Level all the way
up. Because the repeat happens so quickly,
it creates the illusion of another guitar playing
in unison with the original signal rather
than sounding like an echo. If you use a
lower delay time (20 to 50 ms), you can also
get pseudo chorusing and flanging sounds.
Slapback Echo
Slapback is a single short repeat similar to a
tape slap (the time delay between the record
and play heads in an analog tape recorder),
and it is most often heard in rockabilly
and country. To achieve a slapback effect,
keep the Time short (between 80–140 ms),
Feedback at 0 (so you only get one repeat),
and Level at about 50 percent.
Faux Reverb
A reverb-type effect can be achieved by
modifying some of the settings used for
slapback. Set the Time between 100 and
200 ms, Feedback for about 5 repeats, and
Level at about 50 percent.
Tempo Matching
Most delay pedals do not have precise delay
time readings on their knob panels. This
isn’t a crucial issue when you’re using shorter
delay times or when precise timing of the
repeats is not integral to the performance.
However, if you’re playing to a fixed beat
source (say, a band or rhythm track) with a
delay time of more than 200 ms and a fairly
high Level setting that gives the repeats a
distinct note, it will sound best if you dial in
a precise delay time that matches the tempo
of the band or rhythm track. Otherwise, the
repeats will be out of time against the underlying
beat. If your music is delay based, delay
pedals such as the Providence DLY-4 Chrono
Delay (street $449),
TC Electronic ND-1 Nova Delay (street
$259), and Strymon Timeline (street $449)—all of which feature
LED readouts of the delay time—are worth
considering.
Many delay pedals from the last decade or
so offer a happy middle ground with tap-tempo
functionality (some designs require using
an aftermarket external footswitch to access
this). If you’re familiar with the term but
aren’t quite sure exactly how it works, here’s
the scoop: Though many players don’t know
the exact tempo they need in terms of beats
per minute (bpm), most have an innate sense
of the tempo they wish to play at, so tapping
it out on a delay pedal’s tap-tempo footswitch
is an easy way to get the sort of tempo matching
we’ve been talking about. If your delay
doesn’t have tap-tempo functionality, or if you
want a formulaic approach to calculating the
delay time, see the
“Calculating MSfrom BPM” sidebar.
Newer digital delays such as the
Providence DLy-4 Chrono Delay,
TC Electronic ND-1 Nova Delay,
and Strymon Timeline feature exact
millisecond readouts for players
who need very precise delays for
tempo-matching purposes.