Delay
Definition
An effect that records an audio signal and plays it back after a defined time interval, creating one or more discrete echoes of the original sound. Delay time is often synced to the tempo of the session.
In Simple Terms
An echo effect. Your sound plays, then repeats after a set time — once, twice, or many times, fading out. Sync it to the song tempo and it becomes rhythmic. Great for filling space between vocal phrases.
In Practice
A 1/8-note ping-pong delay on a lead vocal — set to roughly 25-30% feedback and panned wide — fills empty space between phrases without crowding the dry vocal in the center. Synced to the song's tempo, the repeats fall on the off-beats and add motion instead of clutter.
Common Confusion
Delay and reverb both add space, but delay creates discrete, identifiable repeats while reverb produces a continuous, blended wash of reflections.
Sources & Verification
- Stockham, T. G. — High-Speed Convolution and CorrelationAFIPS Spring Joint Computer Conference, 1966
- Izhaki, R. — Mixing Audio (3rd ed., delay chapters)Focal Press, 2017
Last verified: 2026-05-05