Delay (ambient/lead)... discuss!

cvogue

cvogue

Yes, that's Oolong. :)
So I've never been one to use delay as a general rule except for specific song needs (Pink Floyd, U2 etc...)

But I was searching around this weekend and I heard some really cool guitar tone that has a delay on either all the time to fatten things up or for leads...

Phil Collen's lead tone actually has quite a bit of delay in it... and his solo run in "Let's Get Rocked" is pretty darn cool. Van Halen also seems to have a delay on a lot of the time, but it's pretty subtle.

So I'm wondering, what do you use (if anything) and what kind of settings do you use? Collen uses around 550 ms of delay... conventional wisdom says keep it around 400ms.

Discuss!
 
I typically use 2 DDL's -- one set for a quick slap-back (think the solo from "Walk This Way"), and one for a longer early-VH sort of thing (longer time, more repeats, but subtle volume levels). If I have to use only one, I stick with the latter.
 
Psychotronic said:
I typically use 2 DDL's -- one set for a quick slap-back (think the solo from "Walk This Way"), and one for a longer early-VH sort of thing (longer time, more repeats, but subtle volume levels). If I have to use only one, I stick with the latter.
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Cool, what 's your delay time for the longer delay?
 
I grew up immortalizing The Edge, Paul Reynolds (A Flock of Seagulls), Billy Duffy, Steve Stevens, etc. Therefore, I am a delay slut. It is exceptionally rare that I don't have some delay in my signal.

But, delay is like the sword of Damecles, too much, too loud, too many repeats, too bright, too short, too long... can all ruin your sound. It's all about using the right type and amount to fit the mood and structure of the song.

Generally, the "busier" the song, the less prominent you want your delay to be or you risk creating a sonic mess. A busy, up-tempo song is where a quick digital delay with fewer repeats and at a subtle volume is more than enough.

For songs that are more sparse or atmospheric, a darker, more "analog" delay can create a sense of haunting loneliness that is magical. Think "In the air tonight" by Phil Collins. Strip the delay from those periodic single note swells and it would sound horrible, but that long dark echo makes them a chilling and goosebumps inducing addition.

Chris DeGarmo from Queensryche used delay like a master. Take a listen to "Della Brown" or "Is anybody listening" from Empire for a textbook example of sonically perfect use of delay.

So, as for what type to use, versatility is the biggest factor. Any delay that offers a wide range of "types" will help you cover a lot of ground.
 
I use an Echorec and depending on my mood, the setting changes. I also use an Adineko for more straight forward delay.
 
Delay for me depends on the type of gig I am playing. In the old days I had my 4 fixed settings: 120ms - Ambient; 220-230ms - Hard Rock (Brad Gillis sound) dive bombs, solos, etc. ; 330ms - Swells and Fixx type tones; 400-440ms - my Edge sound

Today I have different settings: 80-100ms - Slapback (Rockabilly), Blues; 200-230ms rock

With all of the settings, you still need to adjust the feedback as well as the blend.
 
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