Reverb vs Delay

Re: Reverb vs Delay

Rockabilly/Surf---Spring/Slap-Back
Classic Rock-----Hall or Plate
Soaring Solos---Gate
Textural Palm-mute picking---Delay and Room, Hall, Plate, or Spring
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

I play mostly clean and solo stuff, so I'm in a different boat than most. I don't need to balance my sound with other people, only my voice. I typically use whatever I feel like. Sometimes delay, sometimes reverb, sometimes both and sometimes neither. I've found that, like Rich, if I can turn my amp up more I don't need (or like) the effects, and that is my favorite sound. A loud dry amp feeling wet just because of the volume. At quieter gigs, like I said, mostly what I'm feeling that night. I don't have any songs that need any effects so I can add or take them away freely.
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

Both and sometimes I run them together. I have even run both of my delays with the reverb, but I have to be in a special state of mind.
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

Aside from yesterday's joke -

I'm a delay and reverb at the same time guy. More important is a lush reverb (that does not mean dripping wet at a high mix). Sometimes the delay gets in the way....

I'm not big on spring, I'm partial to Lexicon at the moment via a PCM81. The H9 verbs are no slouch either.
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

I use both in small quantities. I try to go for just enough to be perceptible but not so much that you notice it. If that makes any sense....
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

That's how I like to mix reverb in a recording. Just enough that it's noticeable, then back it down a notch.
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

I think there is a big difference between a spring reverb in the amp, staying mono, just thickening it up. And studio style reverb that blends the whole thing into a wide stereo thing behind the singer. Both have their uses but as people pointed out, in a semi-professional live show the latter can come out odd or water down the punch in the band.

Echo is a bit easier to understand and control.
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

I'm going to start out by being a bit geeky, b/c it's part of how I approach guitar:

Delay is actually a larger term that applies to:

flanging
chorus
reverb
certain types of pitch shifting
echo (slap back, rhythmic, spacious)
certain types of looping

Granted it's iffy that this applies to spring or plate reverbs. But I'm focusing on pedals here.

And yes I do get that the vernacular use of "delay" usually refers to the echo portion of that list. But I'm talking about my own attitude.

I agree that there are reverb pedals that can be echo-ey, and there are delay pedals that can sound reverb-ey. It's handy to have something flexible, especially live.

I appreciate that for a lot of players, echo and delay are mainly used to add some depth or thickness to their sound, which may be more applicable in some settings than others. And in some cases it's just about using them in ways that certain styles require (slap back or the Edge thing).

But for me, effects are part of the overall music/sound palette, as much as the guitar, amp, or even notes and chords. Sometimes what I'm using the guitar for is to create a wash or wall of reverb, as opposed to using the reverb to "decorate" the guitar, and it's the reverb that is the actual music.

Also, I have a particular guitar piece that is all about echo. The notes coming from the echo are equally important to the notes I'm playing. I might then add reverb after the fact to put it in a more specific "space".

So, to keep it short, for me, reverb and "delay" (echo) are not interchangeable or competitive at all, and are often effects I use together
 
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Re: Reverb vs Delay

Speaking as a guy with two separate reverb settings on the amp, two delays, and a delay/reverb pedal on his board….

Reverb: Always a touch of reverb! And as mentioned, louder = less. Outdoors = none. clean > distorted. Room for jazz, hall for rock, plate for Van Halen/vocals. I will often go deep on verb for Blues.

Delay: Varies by mood, but usually some medium with repeats (80s/Leads), but occasional a tight metallic one for tug brootallzzz! Outdoors I use delay ONLY. The delay I use really varies by the song. Could be a single slap (Ain't talking' bout love) to a short/medium (You're In Love) to long trailing repeats (anything from Hysteria). I have a favorite low level slap I use for jazzin'

I REALLY like Reverb + delay!!!!! Again - not too much of either, but likely my favorite sound. Not too likely to use that live - except that as mentioned, there is always a touch of verb on anyway (except outdoors)
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

Still experimenting personally... slight reverb- but like the delay... what is a good delay for fattening the sound without the 'nasial' sound of the digitals and programing BS? ~~ But can go deep enough for Lucy in the Sky type and you can Stack with other pedals???... (Yeah I'm old), but not that damn almost tremolo surf sound...and CLEAN- NO HISS or tapping/clicking sound when you put it with your over drive while its sitting there? Just a good basic one??? Anyone? I'm using HBs: JB/SL solid body....
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

I only play in my shop these days. Love a lot of reverb. Alway have. Having some slapback delay fun since I built the Tele. But, I'm way more a reverb guy.
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

Minimal reverb most of the time (1.5, ~2.5 max) for rhythm.

I like the same reverb with mild to medium delay for most leads. The only time I'll use more is for acoustic guitar if needed for mood. It's important for me to be able to hear the technique of the player, which means individual notes and nuances. So I wouldn't use any effect that makes everyone sound the same...
 
Re: Reverb vs Delay

I usually play a dry signal, with exception of a bit of delay for leads, or if I'm putting something in the very back of the mix so that part sounds like it is a thousand miles away. Otherwise everything is dry: Bass, drums, guitars, vocals, etc, but I add a splash of reverb to the entire mix so that the reverb levels between tracks are all the same, with the exception of parts with a bit of delay on them, which sound even farther away. If you add enough reverb, it can give a cool Defenders of the Faith sound.
 
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