Whats the big deal with a delay pedal??

Ok, I just started playing in my church a few weeks ago. My pedal board is a boss tuner, compression, chorus ensemble, and I just recently got a fulltone fulldrive 2. I hear y'all talking about delay pedals. My question is how and when do u use one. What are some delay heavy praise songs that I can listen to to really hear the delay effect, and then why is it so important to get a "tap tempo" pedal? Thanks.

I'm far from an expert on these as I have just begun to dive into delay, and I don't know about praise songs, but If you want to hear a really good use of delay, check out the Edge.

I have played music all over the place for 35 years and primarily praise and worship for the last 15-20. Never use delay. Just don't get anything out of it. I have had all kinds of units, but never use them except playing around. I think I get a similar sound to what a lot of people get with a touch of chorus and reverb.... a lusher, bigger sound. Some use the delays to good effect on lead runs like Lincoln Brewster. I do not do that much lead work.

Here is a good video that shows the usage of delay pedal in praise and worship. Hang on till the middle of the video.

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Not sure if I am doing this right. Google delay pedal praise and worship and you can find some excellent videos.

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videos is a little long & boring & I don't agree with everything that he says but this should explain how delay is (over) used in worship

oops meant to post this one

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Because most P&W music is pretty much based on U2. I think that's why I'm only allowed to play rhythm at church. I think the worship leader is afraid that I'll make the band sound like Johnny Winter instead of U2!

When I drive around the country and scan the radio dial, I frequently find myself saying "This is a U2 song I never heard or it's a Christian station."

Two minutes later I usually learn that it's a Christian station.

(BTW, I use a light echo for some depth.)

My delay pedal is on for probably 9 out of 10 songs I play in church. BUT, most of the time it's just there as a way to "fill out" the sound. Some people will use chorus, reverb or other effects to accomplish this. I happen to like what delay does to my sound. I do use delay for "U2" type effects when the situation warrants it (which is fairly often, as we play lots of hillsongs and Chris Tomlin) but unlike certain other people on this forum, I do not believe that delay is a one trick pony, suitable only for imitating The Edge. I find TONS of uses for it. I even like what it can do for my slide playing.

If you are going to be imitating U2 imitations, as most of us are required to do, you will want either tap tempo with a dotted 8th setting, or a bpm readout and a calculator. If not, I'd say pickup a Carbon Copy or Aqua Puss, (or a used DE-7 or DD-3) play around with it and see if you can find a way to use it. If not, don't worry about it. Maybe delay isn't for you. Then again, maybe it is. You won't find out by posting here. Give it a try. :lol:

Hillsong music features a lot of delay pedal work. Don't worry about it, but I like having one.
My pedals:
two overdrives: Wampler Paisley and Fullton FD 2
Diamond Tremolo
MXR Carbon Copy delay
Hall of Fame Reverb
Turbo Tuner.

Most people are not going to care what kind of delay pedal you have.. they just want to sing and worship.

It provides fill and an effect beyond what you'll get with just reverb and chorus, though honestly, its not something you have to have right away.

Folks might argue, but tap tempo is necessary if you want dotted eights, or more than a single repeat. Without it, you have to twist a little knob on the fly and hope the repeats land in the right spot. If they don't, it can sound pretty bad.

Now, if all you are doing is single repeat, slap back-ish stuff, you can get by without it. Or, if you have more than one delay pedal, and a worship set where you never need more than two different delays, you can probably preset those, and get by just fine.

I like tap tempo now that I have it, because I don't have to worry about the setting. Just click in during drummer count off, or first verse, where the electric is usually not playing much, anyway.

I think churches should outlaw delays for awhile........maybe an original style of music will surface.

I use both a DD20 (big digital delay) & a Carbon Copy. The DD is used for most of the lead stuff & all the dotted 8th rhythm funness. The CC I use for a wash to fill out the sound...here's a GREAT video on this use for delay leading worship with an electric guitar (http://www.vimeo.com/13186136)

Not a praise or worship song, but just a good clean sound clip of subtle delay.

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I think churches should outlaw delays for awhile........maybe an original style of music will surface.


It's not the delays' fault... :wink:

Its a nice way to add a little atmosphere. You can do a lot with a delay before you get into U2-Edge-ville with it. Robin Trower knows how to do that.

What are some delay heavy praise songs that I can listen to to really hear the delay effect, and then why is it so important to get a "tap tempo" pedal? Thanks.

Tap tempo is important because drummers won't hit the same tempo twice, and without tap tempo, you can't react to it..

Click track + Delay Presets = Tap Tempo - Tap

Click track + Delay Presets = Tap Tempo - Tap

+1

The big deal with delay is that it aligns so well with the feeling that this type of music is all about, namely focusing on the object of worship. It's subtle (when it is used properly and the mix is good) and provides an ethereal sound that is well suited for the purpose of this music. There is a threshold of non-distractive sound that is needed in worship to facilitate the audience's focus on the object of worship. While that can be achieve through other instruments, even a Capella, the modern sound and energy that the electric guitar augmented with delay provides fits the objective of the music.

Revelation Song is a good song to hear a good use of delay in. It's also a fairly dynamic song that is a pretty good representation of a standard worship sound.

My use of delay varies a lot depending on the situation. I use both a Boss DD-20 and a MXR Carbon Copy. When we are practicing, I figure out what setting I need for what songs. I've noticed that I usually think the sound is a bit too much when I practice alone, but once it's in the mix with the rest of the band, it's the right fit. The hard part for me was that you rarely hear the house mix well while you are playing. I had the sound desk record us several times before I really settled on what I liked. An important part of this process was writing down what I had done, so that I could identify things I liked and things I didn't.

Everyone always mentions the Edge when someone talks about delay, and with good reason. Put on some U2 tracks and listen to the electric. It has this ethereal sound that reminds me of the disorienting euphoria I think of when I think of a heavenly sound (other than harps, you know?). I've heard people say that Daniel Carson (electric guitarist for Chris Tomlin) would be nothing without delay, I'd say he makes good use of the effect and is a pretty excellent guitarist to boot. So you could check out some Chris Tomlin to get a feel for delay in a worship setting.

Hope that was helpful.

The Unforgettable Fire - U2 has some great use of atmospheric delay.
Title track especially.
The tracks 'Wire' and 'Bad' also rely heavily on delay - in a less 'atmospheric' way', but a couple more of the other tracks do. I wonder what Edge got for Christmas that year.. ;)

I like 'The Edge', - he pioneered a sound, even though he was using Delay from the very early days, it would be fair so say that what became 'the Edge Delay sound' was as much down Daniel Lanois influence in the Studio. Lanois was already doing that kind of stuff.

The big deal with delay is that it aligns so well with the feeling that this type of music is all about, namely focusing on the object of worship. It's subtle (when it is used properly and the mix is good) and provides an ethereal sound that is well suited for the purpose of this music. There is a threshold of non-distractive sound that is needed in worship to facilitate the audience's focus on the object of worship. While that can be achieve through other instruments, even a Capella, the modern sound and energy that the electric guitar augmented with delay provides fits the objective of the music.

Revelation Song is a good song to hear a good use of delay in. It's also a fairly dynamic song that is a pretty good representation of a standard worship sound.

My use of delay varies a lot depending on the situation. I use both a Boss DD-20 and a MXR Carbon Copy. When we are practicing, I figure out what setting I need for what songs. I've noticed that I usually think the sound is a bit too much when I practice alone, but once it's in the mix with the rest of the band, it's the right fit. The hard part for me was that you rarely hear the house mix well while you are playing. I had the sound desk record us several times before I really settled on what I liked. An important part of this process was writing down what I had done, so that I could identify things I liked and things I didn't.

Everyone always mentions the Edge when someone talks about delay, and with good reason. Put on some U2 tracks and listen to the electric. It has this ethereal sound that reminds me of the disorienting euphoria I think of when I think of a heavenly sound (other than harps, you know?). I've heard people say that Daniel Carson (electric guitarist for Chris Tomlin) would be nothing without delay, I'd say he makes good use of the effect and is a pretty excellent guitarist to boot. So you could check out some Chris Tomlin to get a feel for delay in a worship setting.

Hope that was helpful.

I was just thinking about that: what is it with delay, especially dotted eighth note delay? And how did it make the species jump from U2 to Contemporary Christian Music? In the 1976 book The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins coined the word meme to mean "a cultural unit that is passed from one generation to another by nongenetic means (as by imitation)." Is it far-fetched to think of dotted eighth note delay as a meme?

for a millennium the premier instrument in western religion has been the organ. Why? It's loud, for sure, and it can sustain and swell notes. Dotted eighth note delay may be doing something similar. It is initially bright and positive with its jangliness, but it also allows for swells and a type of sustain. It also functions as a shibboleth, identifying the music. Unless it really is U2.

And how did it make the species jump from U2 to Contemporary Christian Music?


Listen to the U2 songs "Yahweh" and "40". There are many christian songs like these that they have slipped into the last slots of their albums. They started doing some of these kind of songs during the late nineties-early two thousands.

Funny, that's when Worships artists discovered the existence of delay. Hmm...

Listen to the U2 songs "Yahweh" and "40". There are many christian songs like these that they have slipped into the last slots of their albums. They started doing some of these kind of songs during the late nineties-early two thousands.

Funny, that's when Worships artists discovered the existence of delay. Hmm...

That may be the vector!

Delay is a cool effect. I never used it until I felt my sound was dry. My opinion is that worship guitarists should stop trying to get a U2 sound and just get their own type of sound. I know we are basically covering the songs that come out but it does not necessarily need to be exact. We could get our own songs going too. I use my analog delay in every single song. Not to sound like U2 but because I like the sound. I have a digital delay that I know has tons of uses available as well as tapping in the U2 sound, but I just play on and eventually the way I will use it will come about. Basically I just try to sound like me no matter what. Go get a delay pedal you will have fun.

You could do a version of "Streets With No Name" without .8. delay, and you could do "United We Stand" without it, too:

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But that would be like a salsa without jalapeños!

I've used echo and delay my whole guitar playing life. Long before I was ever in a Praise and Worship band. Long before Edge and U2. Ever heard of Jimmy Page? Zeppelin was still touring when I started playing. Early on I used a Morley oilcan delay... best ambiance ever! Now I have a few inexpensive delays that I've modded. I like to double my sound with slapback. I also love strumming my 12 string acoustic (or my 9 string tele) with some fairly thick delay, it's a wall of sound that's ethereal, a texture in the backround of some songs, that you can only get if you've been doing it for 30+ years. IMO delay/echo is not an effect that should be cranked, and it's not an effect you can just turn on and play. It's a spice or a seasoning to be used to enhance, but it's not salt, and you have to get used to using it. But, if I could only have 1 pedal... delay.

It's a spice or a seasoning to be used to enhance, but it's not salt, and you have to get used to using it. But, if I could only have 1 pedal... delay.

+1

It does seem to be the most popular and necessary spice these days. Spices should not be used in everything though.

If you're gonna use it live, then tap tempo is essential IMO.

+1

It does seem to be the most popular and necessary spice these days. Spices should not be used in everything though.

If you're gonna use it live, then tap tempo is essential IMO.

+2 on the delay. I have a Timeline coming soon and it has some nice contrasts happening in the filter, ice and delay modes. I may be selling off my tremolo and carbon copy.