Delay Modulation

[deviant]

I'm a beginner to delay and I've been looking to recreate some U2 songs. They sound ok with the tempo, feedback and so on set up, but there's a thing missing which I can't seen to get working, the modulation.

Can anyone advise how I go about getting the modulation to the delay as demonstrated here?
https://youtu.be/fTG2qIaCJuo?t=1m19s

I have no idea how to do this in Amplitube. Someone on another forum said the Fender Tape Echo does this really well but the wow and flutter barely have any effect, even when pushed all the way up. It sounds almost identical to the Digital Delay rack. I've also used the Fender as a stomp instead but the same thing.

[ginge]

I ran into the same thing when messing about with some shadows stuff. The Amplitube echo pedals don't emulate multiple tape heads. (even though they call them tape echo pedals). A strymon el capistan will do the job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWREt_fRcC0

If you just want a simple delay of repeated notes in fixed time then the Fender Tape echo should be fine just adjust the time knob, or the EP tape echo (Echoplex); the machine which started it all. The wow and flutter is designed to simulate worn out tape heads not multi heads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhm3w45-o3I

Your video is definitely using multiple tape heads.

[deviant]

Thanks a lot, ginge. I had never heard of these terms until now and also want to get the Shadows stuff sorted eventually so that's helpful. I wonder if there's a VST that will do this type of delay then, can't really afford any pedals, I still need to get a FBV MKII!

[smata65]

The echoman will do the trick. the CH/VIB knob will set the amount of modulation to the delay signal. Se the switch to chorus. The Edge used an electro-harmonix memory man on the early U2 records, before changing to rack units.

Alternatively you can place a chorus before or after any delay (I prefer a stereo chorus after a delya, but check both options and decide for yourself)

[deviant]

I think everything I want to play is probably using rack units (The Unforgettable Fire onwards) with the modulation just on the delay. Thanks, anyway.

[smata65]

I think everything I want to play is probably using rack units (The Unforgettable Fire onwards) with the modulation just on the delay. Thanks, anyway.

Yes, but the rack is emulating that same function. What you hear is a chorus. I learned guitar playing Police, U2 and Rush songs, and I know a thing or two about delays , chorus and flangers

The echoman will give you a bucket brigade analog delay sound, and you can place it in the FX loop or rack section if you want. If you and a more digital 80's rack delay sound, you can use AT digital delay rack (i would also recommend the T-Rex Replica) and either the wampler nirvana before the delay or the fender triangle chorus after the delay for a stereo sound. Of course don't forget to set that dotted eights delay time, to get that classic U2 sound. Give it a try

[carlaz]

Who can tell the best product among those listed on this site?
[spam link removed]

That's an almost impossible question to answer because it really depends on the style of delay you're going for and how many features you want. If I were going to pick one of the delay pedals listed on that page, it would probably be one of the MXR Carbon Copy pedals, though all other things being equal that might not be my first choice of physical delay pedals.

I like tape and analog vibes, and I still have an old Boss DM-2 (used to have another, but gave it to a friend!). Getting a new physical pedal, it might be one of the EHX Memory-Man-style units (they have various models) or perhaps one of the Catalinbread Echorec or Echoplex emulations. In Amplitube, I used to use the Echoman model all the time. Somehow, I never really got along with the EP Tape Echo, but when the Fulltone SSTE model came out, I basically switched over from the Echoman to that. If Amplitube added an Echorec or Space Echo type delay, I would probably try those on, at the very least.

As noted, The Edge used an Electro-Harmonix Memory Man Deluxe on early albums; also the Korg SDD-3000, which was an early digital delay unit. Post-Joshua Tree, he's used the TC Electronic 2290 rack units, also now considered "vintage" digital delays and very feature-heavy.

But, in Amplitube, I think you could use either the Echoman or Digital Delay models to get The Edge's delay vibes as long as you are judicious with the timings and feedback settings. There is an extensive discussion of these here: http://www.amnesta.net/edge_delay/