Some of the most common questions guitarists new to the world of delay will ask are: what types of delay pedals are there? What are the differences in delay sounds? What’s the difference between analog and digital delay? Do I need tape or a digital delay?
It’s a minefield. I get it. I’ve been playing the guitar for nearly 3 decades now and it wasn’t until I started using the different types of delay on stage and in the studio that I realised which one is best for live shows, which is best for recording and which delay pedal is best for all scenarios!
So today, we’re answering the most common questions in a very easy-to-understand way, so you know get a better idea of what types of delay pedal is right for you and your sound!
There are 2 main types of delay pedals: analog (which includes tape delay) and digital delay pedals (which includes dynamic delay). Both repeat the guitar signal but degrade differently. analog degrades naturally, gradually sounding different each time. Digital delay degrades but sounds exactly the same each time.
Think:
TL;DR: Analog delay degrades your signal over time, causing a gradual change in sound, whereas digital delay pedals degrade your signal in volume but maintain the same sound.
Example: Play a riff with an analog delay pedal and it will start to get warmer and more “warbly” or at the very least muddier. Play a riff with a digital delay and it will sound exactly the same with each repeat, it will just get lower in volume.
Analog delay pedals use what’s commonly known as a bucket brigade chip (BBD) that takes your signal and sends it through capacitors that start to break up or diffuse the sound of your signal. This is why the delays always sound a bit different the more the signal starts to degrade or get quieter/further away.
Analog delay takes your sound and goes, “OK I get it, let me repeat it, but gradually forget what I was doing…and start adding my own flavour”
Digital Delay Explained
Digital delay pedals use a DSP, otherwise known as digital signal processing which converts your signal into a digital format and then converts it back to analog when it pushes the sound through your amp. This makes it usable for the pedal but may make your signal sound slightly clinical – which is great if you’re into tech metal or you want an accurate, reliable repeat at each interval! Good digital delay pedals will include MIDI control and provide excellent clarity.
Digital delay takes your sound and goes “OK I’ve got it, I will remember exactly what you played (good or bad) and repeat it until you tell me to stop…I wont add anything else”
Now that we’ve established that there are different types of delay, let’s look at the different sounds available! Tape Echo, Delay, Digital Delay and Dynamic Delay!
The main difference between tape echo and delay is: Tape echo is a series of identical notes each one quieter than the one before. They fade out quicker and distort quicker. Delay guitar pedals make a copy of the sound you play and repeat it, making the sound last longer and don’t necessarily degrade as much.
Echo is a short, repeating series of notes that is often used as an accompaniment or to add texture to a track – similar to how a reverb pedal adds an ethereal sound. Delay is a longer, sustained effect that replays a signal later at a specified time – for example, half a second later.
Psychedelic bands like Pink Floyd or The Verve tend to use Tape echo, whereas rock bands tend to use delay, as it’s slightly cleaner.
The main difference is analog delays tend to roll off the high end on repeats giving a dark, murky wash, while tape simulators roll off the low end resulting in a brighter sonic quality. However, Tape echo can add a Wow and Flutter that was the result of the physical tape quality slowly degrading. analog delays start to oscillate and still have a “degradation” but it’s not as severe as tape echo.
The main difference between tape and analog delay in a digital delay pedal is that if a digital delay pedal has both a “Tape” mode and an “Analog” delay mode, the difference lies in the way the signal deteriorates. Tape will deteriorate faster and “messier/warmer” analogue will deteriorate cleaner.
However, the best delay pedals, like the Difference Engine Delay, can retain all the subtle nuances of both styles BUT provide expert control over both – or allow you to run free and easy.
The Difference Engine delay pedal is a must-have for musicians seeking the perfect blend of vintage tape echo and modern analog delay. This versatile pedal, modelled on the renowned RE Space Echo family of delays, captures the organic warmth and analog nuances of classic tape machines. With delay times of up to 1250 ms and the ability to create both straight delays from a single head and classic, overlaid multi-head delays, the Difference Engine is the ultimate solution. And to add that special vintage touch, the pedal includes tape artefacts like Wow and Flutter, adding a unique, classic tone to your sound without the unreliability of vintage tape.
All the good stuff – none of the unwanted tape change! This is exactly why pro guitarists love the Difference Engine Delay pedal – it just works.
Tape echo is typically used to create a sense of space and depth in a track, while a delay guitar pedal is used to create a sense of movement and rhythm. Echo is often used to create a sense of atmosphere, while the delay is used to create a sense of energy or “bounce”. Both effects can be used to create a wide range of sounds, from subtle to dramatic and BOTH can be used to create rhythm or a “vibe”.
Guitarists often use delay pedals to create space, or to change the feel of a track – think of any U2 song or any Police song WITHOUT a delay pedal – that would sound weird right?
We asked our resident design wizard Simon Fraser-Clark about Delay and how it affects us as guitarists when we use it:
Delay changes the way you play. You make space for the delays to happen and being able to shape that space is a great opportunity to have as a musician, you start to listen a bit more.
Delay fills up the sound when other players are not there. Delay allows you to inhabit that space in a different way. Delay is the thing that sets your note apart from anyone else’s.
This sound in between notes is what Brian May calls “hot space”. Think of the heavy riffs in ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ by Queen and you’ll hear that slightly delayed note filtering in. That’s the sound of delay filling in that “hot space”.
Or go one step further and listen to The Police ‘ Every Breath YouTake’ and that is the sound of delay filling in the gaps on guitar.
The main difference between digital delay and dynamic delay is the loudness of the delay. Both are digital, but a digital delay WITHOUT dynamics will repeat the signal straight away at the volume you require. Dynamic delay has an internal side chain which gates or “ducks” the loudness of the generated delays. When you stop playing, the delay can be heard clearly – it waits for you to stop playing!
As you play your guitar, a lead line or riff, the dynamics of the note are used to limit the amount of delay that appears in the mix. This is called Gating.
When you start playing, the delay logs the signal but waits for you to stop. When you stop playing, the output of the delay increases and the delay will Bloom. If you have a solo line that you don’t want to clutter, confuse or lose in the mix, dynamic delay “ducks” and dips in volume until you stop playing. When you stop or take a break in-between notes, the delay will spring to life and repeat. Your nicely picked solo sounds crystal clear yet has some lovely delayed trails after you’ve finished.
A good dynamic delay such as the Difference Engine Delay pedal provides a velocity-sensitive gate to control whatever parameter you want – in this instance, it’s a delay mix. You can tweak when you want that delay to kick in and how hard!
In summary, if you like the sound of vintage-style delays full of character and “quirkiness” go for analog delay and tape echo. If you want completely crisp, crystal-clear delays that don’t degrade in quality, you’ll want a digital delay. If you want something that only activates when you finish playing, filling the space without cluttering the sound, choose a dynamic delay for its ducking effect.
But again – use any delay in any way. It’s entirely up to you.
Every note has been played, every interval, and every chord – delay is the thing that gives you a sense of something special. It’s not what you play, it’s what happens next.- Simon Fraser-Clark
Keep that in mind when you’re choosing your delay pedal(s).
Delay should be placed last in the signal chain. Or if you want a completely clean delay, place it in the FX loop of your amplifier. This means the pedal is after the preamp so uses the sound quality of your amp and the delay is unaffected by your other effects or power amp. They sound cleaner and clearer – which you may or may not want! There’s no rule!
TL;DR – you don’t want the delay to affect the previous guitar pedals.
Think of the delay as the last effect you want in your chain. If you place it last it takes ALL of your previous signal, including any effects like distortion or chorus and gives you a repeat of that sound. Your delay takes the final signal and works with THAT. If you place the delay BEFORE other pedals, the delay AFFECTS the pedals. For example, placing a distortion pedal AFTER a delay will cause the delay to affect the quality of the distortion. This is not necessarily ideal as you want your delay to repeat your final signal including all the tone shaping you’ve worked hard on.
No matter how loud your amplifier is, your delay pedal will sound crisp and clean, relative to the quality of your solid-state or tube amplifier.
Contradictions ahead!
As Simon always likes to say, “The Golden rule is that there is no golden rule.” So put it where you want. You may want the sound of your tape echo to influence how your distortion or modulation sounds. So by all means experiment!
I personally always put reverb BEFORE distortion – which is often seen as a no-no – but it sounds awesome!
Keep in mind that modulation effects (phaser, flanger) may interact with the delayed signal in unexpected and really interesting ways, so you may want to experiment with pedal placement depending on the sound you are looking for.
TL;DR – you need a delay pedal that sounds good, offers the style of delay you want, or ideally more than one delay with expert control over delay time, feedback and tone. You also need connectivity and tonal sculpting options.
When choosing a delay pedal, here are some key features to consider:
If you can’t choose what type of delay you want, and don’t want to have to pay for multiple stompboxes, the Difference Engine Delay pedal is the ultimate answer.
There are many reasons you need the Difference Engine Delay pedal, but overall you get a multi-delay pedal that encapsulates the best of vintage delays as well as a HUGE number of modern and digital delay.
The Black Country Customs “The Difference Engine” is one of the greatest stereo delay pedals you could want to play. It packs a studio’s worth of delay pedals into one cool-looking pedal with its classic delay modes, including analog, Tape, Digital, and Dynamic.
When you can’t choose which delay to use, you can mix and match features from different eras to create really unique delay sounds.
And the best part? It comes preloaded with 50 artist patches crafted by renowned musicians such as Tony Iommi, Lari Basilio, Tom Quale, Martin Miller, and Pete “Danish Pete” Honore from Andertons. PLUS there are some iconic sound settings modelled in homage to Van Halen, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Police and many more incredible artists!
It’s easy to use thanks to the clear 2.42″ OLED screen and you can unlock even more creative potential with the multi-function rotary encoder Edit control. Additionally, the onboard tap tempo, noise gate, and compressor provide a wealth of useful tools for the pro guitarists out there.
Oh, AND you have stereo out as well as MIDI, so you can hook it up to your FX loop or DAW for superior control.
The Difference Engine Delay is easily one of the best delay pedals with multi-delay functionality and its one of the best gifts for guitarists, as they’ll actually use it!
Again, we always recommend playing around with different types of delays (tape echo, digital delay, dynamic delay) in combination with other effects (echo, reverb, modulation). Also experimenting with different settings (feedback, mix, speed) to create different types of delays is SUPER important when you’re trying to get your signature sound.
Using a delay pedal can open up many possibilities when it comes to creating soundscapes and textures in your music. Whether you’re looking to add subtle echoes or create complex sonic landscapes, getting the right pedal to handle all the delay effects you want, is essential.
Choose wisely!