How Do You Use Delay In Solos?

[Alex Kenivel]

It depends on the song, the gig. Right now I've got a slapback and quarter delay for my lead sound for all my songs in my current band.

Slapback is in front of the amp and is more present than the quarter note delay, which is after the amp and can be heard more when I hold notes or end phrases.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Let's see, my personal approach has become that I try to avoid delay as thickener these days.
And I certainly will avoid verb when I can since it moves the guitar into the back of the sound scape.

I used to tap tempo at 350-370ms before briefly doing the dotted 8th feeding the 1/4 note delays.

These days unless it sounds super weird I trying to go way dryer than id usually like when recording.

I don't like expression pedals or ducking. But always did like using the pitch follower on the AxeFx.

So nothing new to add to this discussion.
Except that there is a relation within subdivision.

Obviously tuple or triple stuff won't step on the line.

But there's also a correlation between the 2 which folks seem to over look.

Let's say we assign a metric to the 1/4 note if 100
Eight is 50, 16th is 25 we assume that triplets is 33.3 and thus doesn't relate.
Break it to 16th triplets and you get 16.65
3 times 16.65 is 49.95 so 50.

It all inter relates rhythmically.

After that I started messing with stuff like 5/16 for example and found that the only times stuff is muddy when I overdo it.

 

[Stone]

~100-150ms delay time, low feedback (1-2 repeats), and moderate mix, right now placed before the amp.

 

[TSJMajesty]

It really depends on the song, but typically I use an expression pedal to control the delay time or mix.

EP to modulate the time? To keep a solo from getting too muddy from repeats?

 

[DrewJD82]

I am in Slapback Terrritory right now, which is an interesting change of pace.


Not really applicable to the discussion here, but fun for me to mess around with trying to cop some
"Yes, I really am that old now!" vibes.

I’m waiting until I get a Tele or at least learn a few country licks before I’ll allow myself the joy of using one. Every time I try one now it’s that “How do other people make this work?”, I get about 5 notes out before it just sounds like amateur hour.

 

[BFRaid]

EP to modulate the time? To keep a solo from getting too muddy from repeats?

Sorry I misspoke I ment delay time/speed. I will set a slapback delay and increach the repeats on notes that I hold longer giving almost a tremelo effect.

 

[TSJMajesty]

I’m waiting until I get a Tele or at least learn a few country licks before I’ll allow myself the joy of using one. Every time I try one now it’s that “How do other people make this work?”, I get about 5 notes out before it just sounds like amateur hour.

You mean locking your playing in-time with the delay?

 

[DrewJD82]

You mean locking your playing in-time with the delay?

A bit, more of just having the feel for playing with one. It turns into sloppy ass really quick and doesn’t add anything when I try it, I just don’t have the lick vocabulary I think.

 

[la szum]

I’m waiting until I get a Tele or at least learn a few country licks before I’ll allow myself the joy of using one. Every time I try one now it’s that “How do other people make this work?”, I get about 5 notes out before it just sounds like amateur hour.

I swear I aged into this, Drew. It's weird. Maybe it is like incontinence. You don't have it for decades. Then one day you do.

 

[la szum]

You mean locking your playing in-time with the delay?

Slapback is such a short delay time (75ms -150ms give or take) that I don't think you could play with it rhythmically.
And if you can you are from another Galaxy!


Also, just a single repeat makes it more of an ambient/atmospheric thing that adds a bit of extra Boing and
Sproing to Spring Reverb. Together they are legendary amongst old men and young cats who grease
their hair and comb it back like this.

 

[dws2384]

375ms, analog delay, 2-3 repeats, low mix