[SOLVED] Drawing a Blank on Early Reflections

[razor7music]

Hey All--

No, this post isn't on anything broken, for once!! ?

I've got a guitar part that I'd like to have quick and short little echos cascading after each note.

Should I be using an echo effect or delay? I know echo is a form of delay, but with the plethora of fx I have, how would it be categorized?

I'm drawing a blank and the fx I've tried with delay sounds more like reverb than what I'm looking for. I'd like that effect that's so prevalent in many U2 songs.

 

Thanks!

Edited July 10, 2020 by razor7music

[Bristol_Jonesey]

Try a delay going into a reverb

[Base 57]

2 hours ago, razor7music said:

'd like that effect that's so prevalent in many U2 songs

That is usually an Echoplex. So a tape delay type plug-in is what you want to try.

[Colin Nicholls]

Digital Delay has more Edge

[Lord Tim]

You can simulate more of a tape style echo with the Sonitus Delay and rolling off the high end in the EQ section at the bottom, and setting your delay time to be about 110 - 150ms, maybe setting each side of the delay to be a slightly different value (eg: left side is 100ms, right side is 130ms) and about 30% feedback, Wet/Dry mix to taste.

What could also be good is throwing that onto an effects buss and setting the mix to 100% wet, and then strapping a distortion plugin over the top (eg: you could use either the tube or tape saturation modules in the Pro Channel) to add in some grit and roll off even more high end. Then do a send from the guitar track to that delay buss.

Like Colin said, doing a straight digital delay won't get you that effect because it's too "accurate" and clean in the high end - it's got to be a bit darker and dirtier. (edit: also, you know it's late when you miss the obvious pun right there! ?)

Edited July 9, 2020 by Lord Tim

[Colin Nicholls]

1 hour ago, Lord Tim said:

Like Colin said, doing a straight digital delay won't get you that effect because it's too "accurate" and clean in the high end - it's got to be a bit darker and dirtier. (edit: also, you know it's late when you miss the obvious pun right there! ?)

Heh.

To be clear, I was just pointing out that The Edge was an early adopter of Korg's SDD-3000 digital delay and although the earlier albums can definitely be replicated (heh) with a tape-delay or analog pedal, the tones from Unforgettable Fire and Joshua Tree are pure digital delay.

[Lynn Wilson]

Try syncing your delay to your guitar part and experiment with eighth note and sixteenth note delays (or if possible, use the tap delay button if available).  You don't need to mix it too much, a little goes a long way, and not too much feedback.  That's how I hear U2. 

 

[razor7music]

Awesome input! Thanks all. I've got everything but an echoplex to try.

I'll post back what I use and the settings.

[Base 57]

3 hours ago, Lord Tim said:

you know it's late when you miss the obvious pun

It's not late here. I still missed it the first time. 

[razor7music]

So, I went through several delays and then I recalled another poster reminding us about previous versions of Sonar including fx from Blue Tubes. I'd overlooked them for years because I forgot what BT meant as it's listed in my plugin manager, etc.. Well, their OilCan Delay was exactly what I was looking for on my guitar part. I put this fx on a dedicated buss and have my guitar tracks' sends pointing to the buss. Doesn't have a sync to host feature, but sometimes with delays and echos the effect can get lost to the drums if the delay is right on the beat.

Easier to show you my settings than to try to explain them.