How to Use a Delay Pedal: A Step-By-Step Guide

Trying time-based effects can often be overwhelming, and diving into the world of delay pedals is no exception. You’ll probably have questions about how to set it up, what all the knobs do, and what are some simple settings to get started with – more on that later.

Delay is one of my favorite effects, and unfortunately, it’s not always an easy one to nail down. But let me tell you, when you get it right, the depth and richness it adds to your tone can make it worth the effort.

Have you heard Andy Timmons play? His delay sound blows me away every time I hear it.

I’m not Andy Timmons, that’s for sure. But I’ve learned a thing or two about delays over the years. So, here’s my guide on how to use a delay pedal.

What Is a Delay Pedal?

A delay pedal is an effects unit that creates a delayed version of your guitar’s signal and plays it back after a specified time interval. The delayed notes follow your playing, adding a rich, layered quality that shadows your tone.

You can use the controls on a delay pedal to shape and customize the sound of your delay. Most pedals allow you to easily adjust the number of repeats, the time until the delay is heard, and the balance of the original and delayed sounds (this is the mix). 

Using these controls, you can create a range of delay sounds, from snappy slapback echo to long, cascading ambient repeats that just keep echoing.

The Different Types of Delay

There are three main types of delay pedals: analog, tape, and digital. Each type describes the character or overall sound of the delay—in some cases, the name is not always a representation of how the delay is created but more the original sound it is modeled on.  

Whereas these sounds are all available as separate stompboxes (some more genuinely recreated than others), you’ll find many digital delay pedals that can replicate the sounds of all three—granted, some do this better than others.

Analog Delay

Analog delay is loved among gear nerds for its warm, gritty delay sound. Classic analog delay uses bucket brigade device (BBD) circuits to create lush, organic repeats. The repeats degrade beautifully as they bounce along the analog path, adding a vintage vibe to your sound. 

Learn more about how analog delay works.

You can still find many genuine analog delay pedals on the market today, and I recommend you try some. My personal go-to analog delay is the MXR Carbon Copy. That said, there are some great-sounding analog delay replicas in many digital delay pedals, too. 

Tape Delay

Tape delay mimics the sound of magnetic tape loops. With every repeat, you get lovely modulation and saturation, making the echoes sound warm and natural. Guitarists often use tape delays for the subtle tape warble and decay.

It’s not that practical to get genuine tape delay in pedal form. It takes up a lot of space and requires loads of effort to maintain, although some have tried it. More realistically, you’ll find the majority of tape delay pedals and sounds are replicas coming in both digital and analog forms. 

Here’s an Echoplex EP-2 [1] tape delay. See how big it is?

_{Image thanks to Evan P. Cordes, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.}

Many of these pedals rarely sound like the real thing. But I don’t see this as too much of a problem because I’ve found some great-sounding tape delay sounds that are very easy to work with and get a fantastic guitar tone. If it sounds great, I don’t think it matters if it sounds like the real thing or not. 

Digital Delay

Digital delays are known for their clean and accurate repeats. Due to Digital signal processing (DSP), each echo replicates the original sound perfectly without the noise or degradation seen in analog and tape delays.

Digital delays usually offer more control over settings like delay time, feedback, and mix level. This allows for exact synchronization with musical tempos and complex multi-tap rhythms. You can usually also add modulation effects and filtering options to add movement to your delayed sound.

Digital delays are highly versatile and suitable for a load of applications. You’ll usually find replicas of analog and tape delays hidden within the settings of your digital delay – expect great sounds, but don’t expect exact matches with the originals.

Here’s a picture of my Meris LVX, a digital delay with a lot (I really mean a lot) of settings.

Delay Pedal Controls Explained

This article would be neverending if I attempted to cover every possible control on a delay pedal. Some have wild, imaginative settings, and some digital pedals have hundreds of controls and parameters to work with. But here are the core controls you’ll find on almost every delay pedal.

Time

The time control sets the delay between the original signal and its repetition. Measured in milliseconds (ms) or note lengths (quarter, half, etc), lower time settings create a tight slapback effect, while higher times give you those spacey, atmospheric repeats.

Mix

This adjusts the volume balance between your dry signal and the wet, delayed repeats. With the level down, you’ll only hear your raw, unaffected guitar tone. Bring it up and the delayed signal gets louder in the mix.

Feedback

The feedback knob controls how many times the delayed signal repeats. At minimum feedback, you’ll only get a single, short repeat after the dry signal. The more you turn it up, the more times that delayed signal will cycle back through. You can quite easily set up a soft trail of echoes or an infinite self-oscillating frenzy.

How to Set Up Your Delay Pedal

Here’s one way to get started setting up your delay pedal. Feel free to read between the lines, experiment, and let your creativity take over. 

Note: At this point, I’m assuming you’ve already plugged your guitar into your pedal and the pedal into your amp. 

1. Turn All Settings To 12 O’Clock

Okay, this might not sound great. But if you have everything at zero you either won’t hear anything or will only hear your raw guitar. Having everything at 12 o’clock gives you a good starting point to begin setting up your delay pedal. We’ll change everything as we go. 

2. Adjust the Delay Time

The first main step is to dial in the delay time, usually labeled ‘Time’ or ‘Delay’. This sets how long the delay repeats after your initial note. Twist the “Time” knob until you find a delay time that you like. 

For a classic 80s-inspired doubling effect, keep the delay time relatively short. Roughly 100-200ms. The delayed note will hit straight after the original, fattening up your tone beautifully.

3. Experiment with the Feedback

A lot of delay pedals have a feedback or regeneration control. This controls how many repeats you get after that initial note. Try out a few different settings for feedback until you find something you like. Too long, and you might find it muddys up your playing. It really depends on the sound you want, but if you need a starting point, aim for something between 1 and 3 repeats. That’s normally quite easy to work with. 

For a groovy swing feel, set the delay time around 400ms and turn the mix to 80-100%. Then set the feedback low to allow just one repeat. If you want a more U2-inspired shimmering lead tone then turn up the feedback.

4. Tweak the Mix Level

The mix knob blends your dry, unaffected signal with the wet, delayed tone. Finding the right balance is key. If you’re playing with others, you have to be careful here. Too much, and you might find that your guitar gets lost in the mix.

• For rhythmic parts, try a lower mix of 10% to 30% to add subtle ambiance and depth.
• Lead lines can get away with a bit more. Try a mix of around 30% to 50% to make the delays more pronounced.
• For more “out-there” atmospheric textures, turn the mix to 90%/100% wet for a creative wash of repeats.

4. Try Some Modulation (optional)

If your delay pedal has modulation controls, I recommend you try them out. Modulation can add a bit of movement to the delayed sound. Start subtle, though. I normally turn up the modulation until I can first hear it. Any more, and I find it’s too much.

Settings for Different Delay Sounds

If you’re not sure where to start, here are some basic settings to help you set up your delay sound.

For slapback echo

Use 80-120 ms delay time with 1-2 repeats at a level balanced with the dry signal. This creates a quick, single echo that adds subtle depth.

For a standard delay

Use 300-600 ms delay time with 3-5 repeats at a slightly lower level. This produces a noticeable echo that trails off gradually, suitable for many genres.

For ambient swells

Use 500-1000 ms delay time with 6-8 repeats at equal or slightly higher levels. This creates lush, ambient textures that fill the sonic space, ideal for ambient genres.

For a rhythmic delay

Set delay time to match the song’s tempo, with 2-4 repeats at a balanced level. This adds rhythmic patterns that make simple riffs more complex, perfect for various genres.

To Sum Up

So there you have it. A bit of a crash course in the basics of how to set up a delay pedal. With a little practice dialing in the right settings, you’ll soon be creating some awesome sounds. As always, with these things, don’t be afraid to experiment until you find a tone that inspires you – it takes time.

Delay effects can totally transform the vibe of your playing and open up a world of new possibilities. Whether you want to add ambiance, slapback, or some trippy echoes, a delay pedal is an incredibly versatile tool. Put in the time to get to know yours, and it’ll become a big part of your signature sound.

FAQs

1. Echoplex. (2024, May 15). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echoplex