Delay (Effect)

An effect that repeats a sound after a set time, creating echoes.

Delay is an audio effect that records a sound and plays it back one or more times after a set interval, producing distinct echoes. Unlike reverb, which blurs many reflections into a continuous wash, delay produces separate, identifiable repeats, and the time between them can be synced to the song's tempo for a rhythmic effect. Delay is used in countless ways: short slap-back delays add a vintage richness to vocals and guitars, longer tempo-synced delays create spacious, atmospheric textures, and feedback controls how many times the echo repeats before fading. From dub reggae to ambient and pop, delay is one of the most versatile and creatively rewarding effects a producer can reach for.

432

Written & reviewed by

432 Academy

The Club432 musician collective

432 Academy is the learning arm of Club432 — a performing-arts collective of working musicians, producers, DJs and engineers. Our guides are written for beginners and reviewed by people who play, record and perform for a living, so the advice is what we'd tell a friend picking up the instrument, not specs copied off a box.

Meet the roster →Get 1-on-1 mentoring →

Want a working musician in your corner?

Reading only gets you so far. Get 1-on-1 coaching and consulting from real 432 musicians — over video, on your instrument, around your goals. We match you with the right mentor and build a plan that actually moves you forward.

Book 1-on-1 coaching →Meet the musicians →