Delay/Reverb

Delay/Reverb

Reverb and delay effects are present on nearly every pedal board nowadays. The reverb or Hall effect is caused by continuous reflection of sound waves in a confined space. This sounds very theoretical and abstract, to put it simply reverb pedals produce natural or artificial spacing, giving the sound spatial depth. The echo effect arises when the sound is reflected at a greater distance and is perceived as a repetition. Quite simply an echo Pedal delays the input signal and outputs a user defined repeat as often as desired. Enough physics for today we shall continue with the practical side of things.


Delay & Echo Effects
Delay effects are created by time delaying the input signal, this is then played back repeatedly after the preselected delay time which can be only once or repeated to give an echo effect results. Early Delay / Echo devices produced delay effects using a tape loop. The input signal is recorded onto a tape loop which is then played back with one or more playing heads. This is a costly and high maintenance system. The 2nd step of Delay Evolution are still fashionable analog delay pedals in which the input signal is delayed by a bucket brigade device. These pedals offer relatively short delay times and limited frequency range, but produce a characteristic, warm basic sound. Most current delay pedals work with digital technology, the input signal is digitized and converted to the set delay time and reproduced. Digital delays offer very long delay times and a genuine rendering of the original signal.

Reverb & Hall
The Reverb, also called Hall effect, produces the sound of an empty room or more so that of an empty chamber. The first Hall devices from the early 60s produced the sound electromechanically with a reverb (Spring Reverb, like many guitar amps) or a large steel plate (Plate Reverb). With digital technology, it was possible to simulate reverb rooms of any size and form. Current Reverb pedals offer the standard room (room), Hall (Hall), Plate (Plate Reverb), Spring (Spring Hall), Cathedral (huge echo chambers) and special effects such as reverse reverb (reverse reverb, the reverb tail played backwards) and Shimmer (modulated continuous Hall)