For producers, synth players, and guitarists, time-lapse is one of the most widely used effects, but how exactly does it work?
Of the various studio processors, latency is the most widely used. From thickened vocal playback to echo synthesizer lines, you'd be hard-pressed to find a modern record that doesn't use delay or repetitive processing. The delay device stores the input signal in a buffer and then repeats the stored signal after a predetermined time interval.
The earliest time-delay devices were originally designed to simulate the echoes heard in everyday life, and in the 50s, it was used to produce short ones"slapback "Guitar effects, which are also a well-known feature of rock music.
Delay and reverb.
The reverb effect uses multiple short delay lines to replicate acoustic reflections in physical space, while the delay uses the input signal to store the input signal in a buffer and then in the"Time"The input signal is repeated after a certain amount of time after the parameters are determined. The time can be set in milliseconds, or in the case of a software plug-in, it can be set in rhythmic segments (1 4 notes, 1 8 notes, etc.) according to the rhythm of the DAW. Add feedback from the delay and the output of the delay is fed back into the input, increasing and intensifying the repetition to produce the classic repetition echo effect.
Traditionally, delays have run in mono by default, but there is usually an offset dial that is used to delay the repetition time between the left and right channels by a few milliseconds – ideal for providing an instant, impressive width to a mono sound source. In addition, many devices have a ping-pong mode that pans to the other side of the stereo field with each repetition for a left-to-right jumping effect.
Wet and dry control.
In most delay applications, you typically want to hear both the target sound and the delay signal in the mix. Therefore, if a delay effect is inserted in series on a channel, the wet and dry mix controls can be used to set the balance between the dry source and the playback signal.
Alternatively, a common studio technique is to use the Send Return setting: place a delay effect on the mixer's aux return channel, and then send a different number of multimix signals to this single delay, so that processing resources can be shared across different tracks, and additional effects such as filtering or equalization can even be applied to the delay signal individually.
But when should you put a delay directly on the signal, and when should you use send back? The latter provides maximum mixing flexibility because you have a separate channel that contains only the delay signal, which makes it easier to level and sculpt the delay signal and use additional processing such as filtering, equalizer, etc. This is also helpful if you need to print a multi-track mix as a stem, as you can capture the delay signal as a single audio file, giving you more possibilities for editing and manipulation while mixing.
In addition, gradient delay on independent channels keeps the dry signal at 100% volume, while wet and dry mixes using plug-in delay effects slightly reduce the volume of the dry signal. However, in today's era of ultra-fast computers and a large number of plug-ins, it may be more convenient to use different delay effects and speed dial settings on different channels.
Boss DD2 Pedal: A pedal that has gained popularity in the guitarist world for decades.
Change the vocals. Many delays come with on-board low-cut high-pass and high-cut low-pass filters to change the timbre of the delay signal. For example, a low-pass filter can add a dark, old, analog-style atmosphere to a vocal delay signal; Extreme high-pass filtering on the same delay signal adds subtle treble width and flash characteristics to vocals.
Some delay processors even have a dedicated equalizer control that further shapes the frequency of the delay. Many time-delay inserts also offer an internal saturation stage that precisely adjusts the magnitude of the actuation force; There are also plug-ins that allow you to switch between various delay algorithms or modes to emulate specific iconic hardware delay units and pedals, such as the Echoplex, Roland Space Echo, and Electro-Harmonix Memory Man.
3 classic hardware delays.
1. bbd
Lexicon PCM Delay Driver: This digital delay driver is a classic of studio hardware from the 80s (**future).
With the development of technology in the 70s,"Bucket type delay device"(BBD) gave birth to the solid-state delay pedal as we know it. This small BBD circuit can store enough signal to produce a convincing echo effect, and it can be installed in a smaller, more convenient, battery-powered chassis like a pedal box, giving rise to the ubiquitous guitar pedals for touring guitarists' gig bags.
The echo of the BBD is dark and band-limited, with a high-frequency roll-off of around 2kHz and a delay of up to 500ms being its limiting yet signature sound.
2.Digital latency.
In the late '70s and early '80s, digital technology came into play, and a purer, fuller-frequency delay effect became mainstream. Instead of using mechanical tape or analog circuitry, a digital time-delay device is able to cycle through an input signal in its internal digital memory and output a mathematically perfectly repeated signal that does not decay or age over time.
As with most '80s digital audio technology, this pure effect is considered a huge advantage over the old, haggard delays of years ago – but interestingly, now we're all chasing those rough, dusty, repetitive signals, and most digital delayers mimic the attenuation and burn-in of analog delays.
3.Tape echo.
The earliest studio time-lapse effects used tape to record the input signal and play it back at regular intervals. Inside it, one"It's endless"The tape reels are continuously cycled, and the input signal is then recorded to the tape by a recording head, which is then played back by multiple playback heads.
The time between repetitions can be altered by varying the tape speed or the distance between the heads, the former of which can produce a psychedelic pitch bending effect that is synonymous with the classic tape delay and the reggae effect of early dubbing.
Over time, the tape ages and the delay effect becomes unstable and low-fidelity, resulting in a noticeable wobble and dark sound effect that modern full-range digital delay is all about. Notable hardware tape delays include the Echoplex (1959), Watkins Copicat (1960), and the Roland Re-201 Space Echo (1973).