echo vs. delay

I'm pretty knew to the world of effects. I'm familiar with delay, but not so much echo. These are completely different effects, correct?

Not completely. I have a Visual Sound Echo/Chorus pedal (The earliest version), and it has short and long settings. The short, in most cases, will get you the sounds you hear from Scotty Moore on Elvis' early recordings (Slapback). The long will get you Edge/U2 style sounds. The Edge is more known for using delays, which make similar effects, but often sound warmer (In my experience). I find little difference between Echo and Delay, otherwise - Unless it's long delay, which is similar to looping; modulated delay, which is what players, such as Brent Mason use for a chorus/reverb effect.

This is what I usually think of, but there's always someone with a different opinion. :)

Echo and delay are two different terms for the same thing.

Ok. Thanks. I was trying to wrap my head around what differences there could be between the two. It seems like it would be the same thing, but then you wonder why two names for the same thing.

Oh, and the delay I'm familiar with is what is on board my amp. I might do well to check out some pedals so that I can hear the difference between the long and short

For shorter delays (slapback) think Scotty Moore, Brian Setzer, Sunn Records. Longer delays think U2, Pink Floyd.

Yes! The longer echo setting on my pedal gives me brilliant David Gilmour tones; plug a Strat into a Fender amp... You don't even have to try to sound like him, and you will.

Echo and delay are two different terms for the same thing.

THIS

It's just the way that I view it, but anything that is analog (DM-2, Memory Man, CC) is an echo, because the sound quality slowly decays with each repeat. Anything digital or digitally modeled (DD-3, DD-7, DL4) is a true delay, because the repeats can go on forever and never degrade.

Just how I use the terms, these are by no means official...

I have a Behringer DD100 that is a true digital delay; the repeats are as loud and brash as the original.

I have a Rogue Analogue Delay that is more of an Echo; The repeats fade as they go on...unless you have the decay turned all the way then it cycles into ambience.

I also have a Behringer RV-600 that has an echo setting that performs just like the Rogue Analogue Delay.

I use them in different combinations for different types of delay/echo effect.

I think of it as a continuum. Would you call this delay?

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More like an addiction to Echoplex.

I think of it as a continuum. Would you call this delay?

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More like an addiction to Echoplex.

Why oh why did you have to remind me of that. As a budding alto sax player in 1975, I once thought that was the coolest thing in the world for about two months.

Why oh why did you have to remind me of that. As a budding alto sax player in 1975, I once thought that was the coolest thing in the world for about two months.

I still put on some John Klemmer when I want to rumple the sheets.

Yes! The longer echo setting on my pedal gives me brilliant David Gilmour tones; plug a Strat into a Fender amp... You don't even have to try to sound like him, and you will.
LOL. +1.

It's just the way that I view it, but anything that is analog (DM-2, Memory Man, CC) is an echo, because the sound quality slowly decays with each repeat. Anything digital or digitally modeled (DD-3, DD-7, DL4) is a true delay, because the repeats can go on forever and never degrade.

Just how I use the terms, these are by no means official...

It's a lot easier, and unambiguous, to say "digital delay" or "analog delay", though.

If I had to draw a distinction, which I'd rather not do, I'd say that "delay" includes any kind of time-shifting effect, and "echo" is more in the middle of the range, i.e., more like something that you could get from a real tape echo machine (or a physical echo).

But really, it's just easier and clearer to use unambiguous (digital, analog, 300ms, etc) or relative terms (long, short) or nicknames ("slapback") without worrying about "delay" vs. "echo".

Echo and delay are two different terms for the same thing.

An echo to me has a reverb effect on the delay and a delay does not. Like when you yell into a canyon you can hear this reverb effect and a delay is just a repeat of the what ever sound is coming in.