Re: [Harp-L] re: Tremolo or Reverb (and now, Delay?)

["Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jp Pagan" <jpl_pagan@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "harp-l harp-l" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 10:25 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] re: Tremolo or Reverb (and now, Delay?)


> hi all,
>
>   ok.. a beginner's question: what's the diff between
> delay and reverb? i happened upon an audiophile site
> that describes delay as being a
> repetition/reproduction of a specific sound,
> individually identifiable sound, but reverb as being
> the repro of a sound that is less individuated. am i
> way off base?
>   my understanding is you can fake reverb with a
> delay pedal, but not the other way around. is that
> right?
>    last question - any suggestions on settings? for
> example, what kind of setting, more or less give you
> "slapback"? or how do you get a nice, "bottom of the
> well" reverb?
>    (in my case, i'm using a Danelectro PB&J, but i
> was thinking in general terms)
>
>   thanks all
>
>  --Jp

Hi,
Most effects pedals are made in Japan, and for many years, they believed 
that reverb and delay was the same thing, but it's not. For reverb, think of 
how something sounds in large, empty room with absolutely no furniture or 
fixings, and delay as more of an echo like in the Grand Canyon. Delay has 
more to do with repeats or rather slap back. To a degree you can get a 
reverb-like feel with a digital delay (or better yet, an anolog or tape 
delay) with the feedback (slapback) rate turned way down or almost off, and 
the effect level set at about 1/4 of the way up in a lot of rooms. However, 
with the acoustics in some rooms, and the volume you're playing (and this 
will get heightened when playing thru a wireless and/or small, low powered 
amp), the reverb feel becomes no more and the slapback gets more emphasized 
even at lower volumes. Real reverb will sound more like youth're getting 
deeper into the ocean no matter what.

Most digital delay units will have 3 basic controls: Delay Time, Effect 
Level, and Feedback. As far as the delay time goes, for most harp 
applications, anything past 225 milliseconds is generally useless, and many 
units today have a total delay time of 2.6 seconds, which is a long delay 
time, and some MUCH later than that and can be pretty much useless, and 
where the knob setting will be will depend on how much total delay time the 
unit has. Effect level is basically how sublte or not subtle you want the 
delay or slapback, and the Feedback level (the slapback level) controls the 
rate of repeat, and the fewer the repeats, the more reverb like it will be, 
but it still won't be a true reverb regardless.

One huge word of advise with any digital effects pedals is that you better 
be prepared to keep at least 2 fresh batteries with you at ALL times because 
these units suck up battery power big time, and NEVER get anything less than 
an alkaline battery, and titanium batteres are much better, especially in 
durability. However, better than a battery, get an AC adapter so you don't 
have to worry about batteries, and make ABSOLUTELY sure that the adapter is 
for digital effects like delay and reverb only along with the CORRECT 
milliamp rating or it could be so noisy that it could render the unit 
absolutely useless, and just because the adapters make look the same, 
they're FAR from it. With Boss pedals, there are 2 different adapters, both 
rated at 200ma, but if you get the wrong one, noise will be a problem, and 
for their reverb and delay pedals, you need to use the PSA-120, and this 
same adapter will work prefectly with Guyatone and Digitech pedals with 
absolutely no problem.

As far as settings will go, you'll have to find something that suits your 
ears as well as what you want, but remember, those won't be something set in 
stone because room acoustics can and WILL necessitate