Delay pedals – Updated to include the entire article!
The second type of pedal I want to focus on is the delay pedal. In my opinion, the two most important types of pedals to have in worship is an overdrive and a delay, so if you’re just starting out, a delay is a good place to start. Delay pedals simply take the original signal from the guitar and delay it so that it sounds like an echo. Sounds simple enough, but like most types of pedals, the choices of delay pedals are almost limitless, and there are several categories of delays as well. We’ll talk about two:
Analog
This includes pedals like the Electro-Harmonix Memory Man, a classic analog delay (one of my favorites) that is probably known best for its prominence in the sound of The Edge from U2, especially the early days. In the simplest terms, an analog delay pedal is a “lo-fi” echo, and are known for their warmth and fullness of sound. This means that they don’t replicate the sound exactly, but distort and trail off like you would expect a natural echo to. Most analog delays don’t incorporate functions like tap tempos or presets, which can make them problematic for players that only want to use one delay pedal and need versatility. They can be relatively expensive (about $315 for a new Memory Man), which represents a problem for the player on a budget. That being said, these pedals can be some of the best sounding pedals you will ever own, as long as you are willing to deal with a little lack of versatility.
Digital
A popular digital delay is the now-discontinued Boss DD-5, or its new counterpart the DD-7. These delays can exactly replicate your signal, which can be a good or bad thing depending on what you’re looking for. One of the biggest complaints about digital delays is the lack of warmth, but can provide much more functionality with tap tempos, presets, and modelers (“modeling” after several types of delays).
When I refer to a “tap tempo”, I am speaking of the ability to “tap” in your tempo to the pedal and therefore change the tempo of the echo.
Some delays to consider (Analog and Digital):
- Electro-Harmonix Memory Man – As stated before, this is one of my favorites in terms of sound, but the lack of a tap tempo is a big minus for me. The modulation on this pedal almost makes the price tag worth it by itself. ($319)
- Boss DD-20 and Line 6 DL4 – These two pedals are very similar and very popular. Both are digital delay modelers, which means they have the ability to model different types of delays, as well as having presets (3 on the DL4, 4 on the DD-20) which makes both of these pedals very versatile. The DL4 comes with an onboard tap tempo, while the DD-20 has the ability for wiring an external tap tempo switch in (The DD-20 has the ability for an onboard tap tempo, but the preset switch has to double as the tap, which lacks in practicality for on-the-fly tapping). (DL4 – $250, DD-20 – $220, Boss FS-5U – $30)
- Boss DD-5 and DD-7 – These are considered an almost necessity amongst many guitar players I know. They have very limited modeling capabilities, don’t have any presets, but they are more compact than the DD-20, also have plug-ins for external tap tempos, and are great for just getting the job done. (The DD-5 has been discontinued but you can still see them on eBay sometimes, DD-7 – $170)
- TC-Electronic Nova Delay – This pedal is the only delay I use right now, because it does everything I need it to do, including acting like two different delays at once! It’s an all-digital delay with up to 9 presets plus a manual mode that can be changed on-the-fly via footswitch, 3 types of modulation, and the ability to stack delays within itself (adding delays together = subdivision). For example, instead of having to choose whether I’m going to run a quarter-note delay or dotted eighth-note delay, I can actually run both at the same time. Worth the price tag to me at exactly the same amount for the DL4 or DD-20 with the footswitch, takes up less room on the board, and has more functionality. ($250)
There’s a ton of delays out there, but as always, take advice from guitar players who have done the homework and spent (wasted) the money already. BUT, that doesn’t mean you have to be like everyone else!
Always remember why/what/who you’re playing for,
Tyler
tyler@fqworship.com
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