delay
An audio effect that records a signal and plays it back after a set time interval, creating echoes.
In Depth
Delay effects range from short slapback echoes (50-100ms) used in rockabilly and country to long, atmospheric repeats that create vast sonic landscapes. Analog delays produce warm, degrading repeats, while digital delays offer pristine, exact copies. Tape delay, the original form, used a loop of magnetic tape and introduced characteristic wobble and warmth. The Edge of U2 built an entire guitar style around rhythmic delay patterns.
The Edge's signature dotted-eighth-note delay technique makes relatively simple guitar parts sound incredibly complex, proving that effects can be instruments in themselves.