The Effects
47
Delay
The real strength of digital processing was first exhibited with the original digital delay processors.
Before that delay processing was done using analog delay devices or tape-based techniques. These
methods suffered from poor frequency response, noise, and in the mechanical versions, reliability
concerns. Digital delays address all of these shortcomings while providing longer delay times.
The Axe-Fx contains two different types of delay blocks. The regular Delay, described here, is your
basic digital delay (with a few enhancements). We'll talk about the Multi-Delay later. The Delay
has five different modes: Mono, Stereo, Ping-Pong, Dual and Reverse. In Mono mode the inputs
are summed and only the left delay line is used. This allows quick, classic delay sounds. The Stereo
mode allows independent left and right delay time and feedback allowing for modern stereo delay
sounds. The Ping-Pong mode criss-crosses the signal so that the echoes ping-pong left and right.
The Dual mode allows full control over the delay block providing controls for all parameters. The
Reverse mode is a special mono reverse looper capable of strange and exotic reverse playback
effects.
The Delay also contains a lowcut and highcut filter to allow frequency response tailoring of the
repeats. By turning down the highcut frequency you can simulate the sound of a tape delay with it's
poor high frequency response. Turning up the lowcut frequency can give a thin delay sound for
special effects.
The Delay also contains two delay time modulators that can be used to slightly modulate the delay
time. These can be used to add depth to the echoes or to simulate an old tape-based echo unit. One
can be used, for example, to simulate the slow fluctuation of a worn belt in a tape echo with the
other simulating a worn capstan (wow and flutter).
