david gilmour delay settings

The delays are set in series like this: I use the MXR with the read-out on it, so I instantly have the right tempo. The tone is broken down to illustrate what each effect adds to the sound, in this order: Boss CS-2 compressor, Boss CE-2 chorus, Boss RT-20 Rotary Ensemble, FTT Future Factory stereo delay, BKB/Chandler Tube Driver. - David has used numerous types of delays in his carreer, both analog and digital. The first delay is definitely set to 470ms, which is the 4/4 time. It created a unique stuttered stacatto rhythm. 650ms delay first, with 2 repeats, and 1400ms delay second with 1 repeat. It is meant to simulate the sound of old analog tape delays as they aged. 650-680ms were occasionally used for long delays. These were state of the art delays at the time, but were rather noisy effects compared to modern digital delays. delay 2 time: 360ms, Us and Them - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay): verse/chorus sections: 310ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats If you want this sound and have a delay that shows the time in milliseconds, follow these steps. HH IC-100 amplifier with built in tremolo. This pedal was a little easier to use than the Binson, and it's the exact delay you can hear in 'The Wall'. This gives the impression of a 920-930ms delay. Those are not the type of parallel setup we are talking about here. If you have a subdivisions setting (quarter notes, eighth notes, dotted eighth notes, et cetera) set it to quarter notes, or the normal setting. Because the notes all intertwine, it doesn't matter anyway, but I find that I usually set them on a triplet. It's fun to just jam around using the unique delay rhythm it creates. On the left is my standard setting range for the early 1970s Gilmour Echorec sound. The clip below is played with those same 428ms and 570ms delay times. Head 1 = 1/4. Speaking from personal experience, furthering my understanding of tone has simultaneously been one of the most rewarding and frustrating experiences of my life. solo: 500ms, High Hopes - live versions Echorec Style Delay Jamming - 428ms and 570ms. Gilmour's Binson Echorec 2 model T7E from 1970-71. Occasionally David may be using a long repeat time on one delay, and a shorter repeat time on another delay simultaneously. 480ms: feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 75% -- delay type: clear digital, Sorrow: Its not rare to see Pink Floyd play 10-minute long solos over what can only be described as atmospheric playing from the band. Set up your preferred delay settings and beam that into your pedal. David used the DD-2 extensively in the mid to late 1980s, as well as using a Pete Cornish Tape Echo Simulator (TES) in 2006, which was a Boss DD-2 circuit with a selectable roll-off filter added to simulate the worn tape head sound of old tape delays like the Binson Echorec. That may be just my fantasy; I don't know. From long sustained notes that seem to go on forever, to the most tasty of blues licks, his sound is instantly recognizable. It can be simulated with a short 40-50ms digital delay with one repeat, like this: PARALLEL MIXING DELAYS - Stacking one delay after another in your signal chain can degrade your tone because your original signal travels through, and is altered by, two delay circuits before coming out the other end. David Gilmour Solo Tone Settings For "Time" . The reverb could have been added in the mixing stage, or it could be natural room reverb from mics positioned in the recording studio to capture the natural room sound. Here is a breakdown from the Great Gig multi tracks. Using Program position 3 for that part also works. Below is an example of me using an Echorec style delay in a cover of Pink Floyd's 1969 song Dramatic Theme form the More album. E.g the RATE for most settings had been about 22 more clockwise (slightly faster sweep) on the Wall compared to the Animals tour. The repeats are bright and shimmery but not brighter than the original signal. second solo: (early in song) 580ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats -- delay level: 25% -- delay type: analog Let's see some of the units he used over time. The effect actually works fine with only two delays. The Echorec playback heads were spaced so the input signal would repeat at specific intervals, adding delay repeats upon delay repeats. alternate 2nd Solo: 540ms His final delay was the TC Electronic 2290. The other is more natural sounding because it is added post amplification, which is more like what real reverb does. solos 2/3: Delay 1 = 360ms / Delay 2 = 650ms, Coming Back To Life - 2006 live version: Below is a song-by-song list of delay times with some settings. I have a slight roll off of the high frequencies on the repeats to mimic the Echorec sound. tremolo effect for middle section: 294ms delay, 7-8 repeats / tremolo with gated square wave, depth set to maximum, and speed set for second solo: 480ms -- feedback: 6-7 repeats The most recognisable and somewhat stereotypical sound that Pink Floyd uses is their ambience. Set it to about 370 milliseconds, mix it low, and set the repeats to about 3-4 times. His first was an MXR 113 Digital Delay System, one of MXR's first rack effects. I'll keep this simple rather than going into an explanation of time signatures. The type of multi-head repeats varied depending on which of the four playback heads were selected. solo: 380ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats, Marooned - 1994 live version: I do hear what sounds like multi-head repeats in the chorus section of the first band demo however, so that could have been the Echorec. REEL-TO-REEL SOUND-ON-SOUND - David did an early version of sound-on-sound way back in October of 1970, in one of the few times Pink Floyd performed Alan's Psychadelic Breakfast live. When playing alone, I find I often turn the delay volume down, but with a band or backing track I turn it up. delay 2: 430ms, In Any Tongue - 2015/16 live version: It's actually a metallic disc that spins around. 5 A.M. : There are many effect pedals that simulate those sounds, and those types of simulated reverbs are also usually called plate, room, or hall reverb. Next cut that delay time in half so you hear two repeats per beat, or 2/4 time. 310ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats To add space to your tone, add a clean digital delay at the end of your signal chain. USING TWO DELAYS TO MIMIC AN ECHOREC - David stopped using the Echorec live after 1977. volume swells in verse section after second solo: 540ms and 620ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats Treble: 4-5. - Boss CS-2 and Dyncomp compressors first, then CE-2B chorus in left channel added, the delay added, then plate reverb added. First you hear a single muted note picked with a 294ms delay set for 7 repeats (played twice). Sometimes he even uses two delays at once to create certain double tapped echo effects or to make a solo sound bigger. David Gilmour used the MXR Digital M-113 Delay, the Binson Echorec, and the TC Electronic 2290 in his recordings. Money solo - studio version - multiple guitar tracks were recorded with different delay times (Binson Echorec 2 and Binson PE603): If you have a clean amp, some settings to start with would be: Gain: 3 Treble: 7 Mids: 7 Bass: 6 Reverb: 5-6 I'll keep this simple rather than going into an explanation of time signatures. He used analog delays like the Binson Echorec throughout the 1970s and one has been seen in his Medina studio from 2013-2017. Another option is to run two delay pedals simultaneously. DELAY SETTINGS - Most of the delay times David Gilmour used in the early 1970s with Pink Floyd were around 300ms long, since that was the approximate delay time of head 4 on the Binson Echorecs he was using at the time. Pink Floyd is known for their use of soundscapes and textures that would later characterize genres such as progressive rock and psychedelic rock. I don't think I'll ever stick to one instrument - but the great thing about life is you don't have to. He also used an Echorec PE 603 model from 1971-75 that had a maximum delay time of around 377-380ms. I also use it to add some of the bigger room and concert hall sounds. The main rythm in the left and right channels of the studio recording is domantly the 3/4 time. Often what I hear in the recordings is just natural room or hall reverb. Run Like Hell with 380ms and 507ms delay in series. He always kept the Echorec in tip top shape, and after the MXR Delay System used a variety of digital delays, including the DD2 and later the TC 2290. Delay Type: Analog delays are warm sounding, with repeats that are softer sounding than the original note due to a high end roll-off. REVERB OR NO REVERB ? First is the delay, then the square wave tremolo, then both together. 147ms (2X the delay repeats), or 2 pulses for every delay repeat. The third solo is also artificially double tracked, which you can simulate with a short 60-90ms slapback delay with one repeat. Solo: 430ms, Fat Old Sun- 1971/72 live versions: -, David Gilmour interview by Bob Hewitt from Guitarist, June 1986, FINDING THE "TRIPLET" TIME DELAY FOR A SONG. The fill patterns played in the verse section sound dry, with almost no delay. 80x2 = 160. One of These Days - gated tremolo section isolated. second solo: 560ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats, On An Island - 2006 live versions: For the wet 1st and 3rd solos from Money I use basically the same settings, but I dial the mix knob up a bit for the third section after the dry solo. Multiply that number by 75% to get the triplet time delay. 3rd solo: 430ms, Money solos - 2015/16 live version: Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for THE RULING CASTE: IMPERIAL LIVES IN THE VICTORIAN RAJ By David Gilmour **Mint** at the best online prices at eBay! What is interesting about this performance is that it is probably the only time David is known to have used a tape delay. Below is a medley of David using the Echorec from 1969-1977. studio album solo: 275ms - David Gilmour, Guitar World March 2015, As I recall, he (David) used a Hiwatt stack and a Binson Echorec for delays. third solo (after dry solo): 380ms -- feedback: 2-3 repeats. The 3/4 "triplet" time will be inbetween in between these 4/4 and 2/4 settings on your delay. 2,434. David could play a chord while the delay rhythm repeated, and jump back to the delay rhythm before the repeats stopped, almost as if there were two guitars playing. A Great Day For Freedom - Pulse version (TC2290 Digital Delay): Another Brick in the Wall Part II (live): Any Colour You Like - 1994 live versions: Astronomy Domine - Pulse version (MXR Digital Delay System II for solo). You can check this by mute picking a single note simultaneous with a drum beat, then listen to the repeats. Delay Level: This is the volume level of the delay repeat compared to the original signal. The tremolo is from an HH IC-100 amp was used for the studio recording. Then go to a website with a Delay Time Calculator, like the one on this page. Then I have two regular Boss units (DD2) which I set so one works in a triplet and the other in a 4/4 time - they're actually set in time with each other, so they combine and make a nice sound. This is because the orchestra in Castellorizon is not loud enough to mask the repeats, but the band playing under the solo in On an Island certainly is. delay 1: 380ms -- feedback 10-12 repeats - delay level: 95% -- delay type: digital Head 3 = 3/4 Set the value to quarter notes, enter the BPM, and you have a delay time in milliseconds the same tempo as the song. How to Set Two Delays for Run Like Hell - one in 380ms and one in 507ms, in series so the 380ms delay is repeated by the 507ms delay (actual DD-2 settings shown above), Example of Two Delays Run In Stereo - parallel delays, 380ms (both channels) and 507ms (right channel only), going to separate amps, Example of Two Delays Run In Stereo - prallel delays, 380ms (left channel) and 507ms (right channel), going to separate amps. David probably just uses the term triplet because what he does has a similar feel. - In general, no - but sometimes, yes. - first is 380ms delay in the left channel, then 380ms+507ms in the right channel. This 3/4 and 4/4 delay can be used for more than just some Echorec effects. In the 80s and 90s David would mostly use digital rack models such as the TC Electronic 2290. The second delay should just be accenting the first, filling the space between the 3/4 repeats. The SELECTOR knob had three positions: ECHO = one repeat, REPEAT = more than one repeat, and SWELL = outputs of the playback heads were fed back to themselves to create a spacey type of reverb effect. Warm for an anlog delay usually refers to the high end roll-off decay, and warm for a digital delay usually means the repeats are not brighter or harsher than the original guitar signal, but are the same or have slightly less high end. There are times when I have both running at the same time for certain effects. solo: 475ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats - delay level: 15% -- delay type: analog, Hey You - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay): Most digital delays create an accurate, pristine repeat that only decays in volume with each repeat, not in quality. (requires a volume pedal before the delay in signal chain to create the volume swells), Castellorizon: Note that I am not talking about spring or amp reverb, or a reverb pedal, which is a completely different sound. That is an example where David seems to have set the delay speed by ear, rather than going by an exact Echorec formula. So why don't you hear the repeats most of the time? A) All those pictures out there of David Gilmour's tours have the settings knobs shown, but you can not go by that and insist it is bible. Below is an example using two digital delays in series. Note that David Gilmour varied his settings. Delay volume 85% It also stems from the fact that analog equipment is frequently much more expensive than it is worth. This creates a different bouncy feel to the delay rhythm. fills under second and fifth solos: 507ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats Song tempos are rarely exactly the same every performance, but the SOYCD tempo is usually around 140 bmp. David primarily used the Binson Echorec delay/echo unit for his early work with Pink Floyd. delay time: 450ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats -- delay level: 25% -- delay type: analog/digital mix, Another Brick in the Wall Part II (live): 1st delay 470ms. You can also add a second delay in series to thicken the sound, combining the 3/4 time with a 4/4 time delay. POWER BOOST PLACEMENT - The Colorsound Power Boost was an overdrive that David used throughout the 1970s. This creates a different bouncy feel to the delay rhythm. The original band demo, heard in The Wall Immersion Set, has a much bouncier, more disco-like feel, so I think the 4/4 delay is much more prominent in that mix. In the studio recording the 4/4 delay is not very obvious, so it was low in the mix, possibly only in one channel, or both. April 9, 2022. by Joe Nevin. You can simulate the verse delay with two delays in-line going to one amp. I usually try, in solos, to set the DDLs to have some rhythmic time signature in common with the tune. If you want to try the two-delay effect on one amp, it is best to place the second delay after the main 380ms delay in your signal chain, and set the second delay repeat volume MUCH lower, with roughly 1/3 the repeats of the main delay. I have one for specific time settings, for things like Run Like Hell and Give Blood, so I know in numbers (delay time in milliseconds) what setting I need to use. Head 1 = 75ms .Head 1 = 95ms. solos: 300ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats - delay level: 15% -- delay type: analog intro: 425ms ..(later in song): 450ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats -- delay level: 25% -- delay type: analog, Comfortably Numb - 1980-81 live version: Find the proper delay time for the song as described above, then let's do some "Echorec math". SLAPBACK / ADT DELAY - It is not often, but ocassionally there is what sounds like a short slapback delay in Gilmour's guitar recordings, like the "dry" solo in Dogs from the Animals album. David used the DD-2 extensively in the mid to late 1980s, as well as using a Pete Cornish Tape Echo Simulator (TES) in 2006, which was a Boss DD-2 circuit with a selectable roll-off filter added to simulate the worn tape head sound of old tape delays like the Binson Echorec. It also stems from the fact that people tend to look at things with their wallets, and analog gear is often much more expensive than its digital counterpart. Below is a link to a song-by-song list of Gilmour's delay settings, compiled from measuring the echo repeats in official releases and bootlegs of live recordings, and from delay times visible on the LCDs of his digital delays. The reason David used multiple delays was to set each for a different delay time setting for specific songs and to adjust delay time on-the-fly during shows. The primary reason is becasue the delay time is usually set in time with the tempo of the song, so each repeat lands on the beat. As the song plays on I dial the delay volume and number of repeats higher and higher. David usually sets his delays in time with the song tempo, which helps hide the echo repeats. He usually had the time set to 440ms. DAVID GILMOUR DELAY TIME LIBRARY - Song by Song. For The Wall he switched to the MXR Digital Delay for those accurate and pristine time setups. 8-10 repeats on the first delay and as many repeats as possible on the second, or as long as it can go without going into oscillation, which is around 3-4 seconds on most delays. The MXR 113 was released in 1976 and David first used it for Pink Floyd's Animals tour in 1977. 520ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats - delay level: 20% -- delay type: analog, Money solos- Pulse version (TC2290 Digital Delay): Gilmour uses this type of delay setting on several songs in the Pink Floyd catalog, most famously in "Run Like Hell." Here is the tab for Another Brick In The Wall pt. Multiply that x3 to get the 3/4 time and you get 427.5. verse / chorus: 430ms, Us and Them - 2016/15 live version: I set the vibrato to more or less the same tempo as the delay. - first is 380ms delay in the left channel, then 380ms+254ms in the right channel. You could get some wonderful delay effects that aren't attainable on anything that's been made since. 2nd delay 94ms. A key to the way David has done this is to run each delay in its own separate channel, parallel and separate from the line signal. delay time for both solos: 465ms or 480ms - feedback: 15-20% -- delay level: 20% (30-35% for waving part) -- delay type: digital, Comfortably Numb - Pulse version and most Division Bell tour performances: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The Binson Echorec is an analogue echo unit made by Binson in Italy. The mode should always be set at 800ms, unless you want a short slapback delay for something like the dry solo in, Kits Secret Guitar, Gear, and Music Page. - Be sure to read the section above. Both in the studio and live their musicality seeps from every note, every rest, and every beat. The second delay is set for 254ms, 1 repeat, with the delay volume set at 50%. Below is my replication of that 1984 ADT sound using two delays in series to two different amplifiers, in stereo. To figure a 4/4 delay time to work with any 3/4 triplet delay time, you can split the 3/4 time delay into thirds. www.gilmourish.com this website has info on Gilmours tone and gear used. The tempo used in this demo is slightly too. Let's see some of the units he used over time. To get the 4/4 time delay, simply multiply 126.7 x 4 = 506.8ms. delay 2: 275-290ms -- feedback: 5-7 repeats - delay level: 25% -- delay type: analog, Short and Sweet - David Gilmour live 1984 version (Boss DD-2): The second is around 94ms, which is 1/5 of 470 (470/5=94). The delay used must have a "kill dry" or "dry defeat" mode, which means ONLY the 100% wet delay signal is sent to the output of the delay, none of the dry signal. All those divisions and subdivisions will be in time with the song. This unit is an incredibly versatile digital delay that many artists use. David Gilmour has always made a very precise use of delays, since the early eras, even combining two delays to create his textures. Starting with the finer details of the setup's tone like amp EQ and drive pedal levels and EQ will help you hear everything much more clearly before adding all the delay and reverb. This is also one of the few Gilmour solos that features a heavy reverb effect, so it does not sound the same with delay only. Last update September 2022. Andrew Bell has 42 posts and counting. I use 240ms. solo (Pulse): 490ms, Astronomy Domine - Pulse version (MXR Digital Delay System II for solo) Divide 240 by 3 and you get 80. Note or mark that time setting on your delay. Example: You determine the 4/4 beat/song tempo is 600ms. The shorter delay fills in the gaps between the longer delay repeats, creating a smooth delay sound, but the delay time on both makes the repeats fall inline with the song tempo. The original band demo, heard in The Wall Immersion Set, has a much bouncier, more disco-like feel, so I think the 4/4 delay is much more prominent in that mix. The 4/4 delay thickens space between the main delay repeats by double tapping your 3/4 repeat with a 4/4, creating a more bouncy rhythm. This is actually not quarter-note triplets. It's actually a metallic disc that spins around. Again, I'll simulate that with only two dominant delays. For Run Like Hell, David's using what he refers to as "triplets".. For example, I compared the 5.1 surround sound mix of the second On an Island solo with the solo in Castellorizon (from David's 2006 On an Island album). Delay and reverb should be the last effect in the chain. David used various Echorec models but he was most known for using the Echorec 2 model T7E. David has used many different types of compressors throughout his career, but a few common ones are the MXR Dynacomp, Boss CS-2, and Demeter Compulator. Posted December 21, 2005. porsch8. The third and final (that we know of) delay he usd was the TC Electronic 2290 rack unit. When the notes pitch up or down the delay has 4-5 repeats. The delay volume is often not very loud in the studio recordings, so in a full band context, the other instruments mask the repeats. For example, take 450ms divided by 3 = 150ms. Guitar stuff, gear stuff, soundclips, videos, Gilmour/Pink Floyd stuff, photos and other goodies. You can also do the volume swells with the guitar volume knob, although it is much easier with a volume pedal. You must remember this, Those settings are used for a stadium show, set to produce for a huge arena, not your 8 x 10 bedroom, and not your 100 x 100 bar. Delay times vary by song but anything between 300mms and 600 makes a decent one size fits all. Below is my best guess at the delay times David used there. That equates to 428ms, which we will call the 4/4 time. In the studio recording I hear one guitar playing the single note triplet time rhythm, a second guitar playing the fills, and a third guitar playing occasional accents on top of the fills. Some of the other Program Select positions work for the Time intro too, like position 12. David almost always uses delays in his live rigs, not reverbs. The Mooer Elec Lady is a good, inexpensive clone of the Electric Mistress that sounds much closer to the original large box Mistress. Mar 8, 2013. Shown below are my Boss delay time settings to replicate the Run Like Hell band demo recording sound. David also used the triplet delay setup on many other songs such as One of These Days from Pink Floyd's Meddle, Give Blood from Pete Townshend's White City, Blue Light from David's second solo album, About Face, The Hero's Return from Pink Floyd's The Final Cut, among others. The best way I have found to create the smoothest delay is to simply set it in time with the song tempo. 1st delay 240ms. Gilmour uses pristine delays. Some are actually too high quality for my personal taste. Even though the DD-2 delay chip only produced a 12 bit sample, the circuit blended part of the clean signal back in, producing a crisp, accurate digital repeat. Shown below are some typical Gilmour DD-2 delay times. delay 2 time (second delay ADT effect): 80ms -- feedback 2-3 repeats - delay level: 30% -- delay type: digital, Sheep - 1977 live version: The S-O-S unit was basically a buffered interface with two send/returns. Here are what the settings mean -. It was my very first delay and one of my favorite pedals for Gilmour-ish delay. Verse / Chorus : TC 2290 Digital Delay: 430ms MXR DIGITAL DELAYS - David began using digital delays in 1977. This the dominant delay, but there is also a 300ms delay low in the mix The Blue: There are several reasons. verse / chorus: 435ms, Wearing the Inside Out: La guida un lavoro in continua evoluzione ed in continuo aggiornamento. His delay times typically ranged from 300ms-550ms, with 5-8 repeats, but some songs required more specific delay times and settings, as detailed below. BKB Tube Driver, Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress, TC Nova delay. My sound has everything to do with what sounds good to me. Every aspect of his tone can change on different albums, even on different tracks of the same album! During the tour a T-Rex Replica was added specifically to use for "Echoes". slide guitar: 440ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats -- delay level: 30-35% -- delay type: analog