[Harp-L] Re: Why use a delay pedal?

[Ray Beltran <raybeltran@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I own a delay pedal. The only time I've ever used it is in an 
acoustically dead room. And I add just a tad, at that. It's been out of 
the bag then about 3 times in the last 5 years.

The reason I don't use it is because most venues I've played in provide 
enough natural "bounce" to the sound. Even with a crowd. An amp with 
provided delay may sound great sitting next to you, but ever wonder 
what it sounds to the crowd with all the extra natural delay mixed in? 
Might be mush.

I attended a Harmonica Blowoff in Portland about 6 months ago, where 
some of the Pac NW's best blew big time. They all sounded great, but I 
wondered what some of the guys were thinking who insisted on using 
their vintage or reissued Fender Reverb tanks in the Melody Ballroom:

http://www.themelodyballroom.com/Mbhome.html

That photo is the view from the stage.

The guys who used delay or reverb were very difficult to hear. Little 
distinction between notes. Two-hole shakes? Forget about it.

Perhaps those who rely on delay or reverb everywhere, all the time, 
seem to be attempting to replicate sounds from old recordings... sounds 
that were achieved in controlled studio environments. Search the 
archives, where you can read about the huge reverb plates used in some 
old recordings.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, just cuz you can don't mean you 
should. Before you use any effect, ask yourself if it is indeed helping 
your sound, or detracting from it, as heard out on the dance floor and 
not from the stage, where the amp is, relatively speaking, right next 
to you.

Ray.
--
My Music – www.resgraphics.com/music




On Aug 6, 2005, at 10:51 AM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 13
> Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2005 10:51:16 -0700
> From: "Robert Gaustad" <robertgaustad@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Why use a delay pedal?
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID: <200508061751.j76HpJfe030166@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
>
> I've been playing for years without any effects using my beautiful '65
> Fender Deluxe (alas, no reverb) but recently I've been thinking a lot 
> about
> gear and ways in which I can make my amplified sound better.  I'm 
> pretty
> happy with my acoustic sound so when I amp up I'm not unhappy with 
> what I
> hear.  However, it could be better.
>
> So after reading Richard Hunter's information about how to create a 
> Chicago
> blues sound on a budget, I got to thinking.  Why do we need delay?  
> I've
> never used it and I don't think I've ever missed it.  But it begs the
> question...did the old time Chicago blues guys use delay in their amps?
>
> I'm guessing (and I may be way wrong) that they didn't.  But maybe 
> they got
> natural delay by playing in clubs with hard walls that the sound 
> bounced off
> and echoed what they had just played.  So is that what we're trying to
> achieve here?  I'd love to hear some thoughts from all you gear heads, 
> sound
> experts, and historians.
>
> That all said, I can't wait for my first delay pedal to come to my 
> door so I
> can start messing around with it.
>
> This is a fantastic list and I'm proud to be part of the community.
>
> Robert G.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------