Tremolo or Delay

[Not-Too-Late]

Being from the old school of thought and just now picking up playing after many years of abstinence, the extent of effects pedals I have used are tremolo and fuzz. A friend of my cousin suggested I go with a delay pedal instead of a tremolo. Confused . . . is a delay pedal similar to the tremolo? What would you guys suggest? Back when I played last there wasn't such a thing as a delay pedal.

[LongMan]

Confused . . . is a delay pedal similar to the tremolo? What would you guys suggest?

Tremolo and Delay are completely different effects, apart from the fact they create rhythmic patterns. Basically the tremolo takes away a portion of your guitar signal, while a delay adds repetitions of the signal.

 

The tremolo does change the volume. Standard controls are effect depth and speed. On some tremolos you can even choose the envelope, means if the volume smoothly fades in and out (sine wave), or if it switches between full and lowered volume (rectangle wave). Sometimes you can synchronize the tempo of volume change to the song tempo, and then adjust the tempo in note values. This allows e.g. to change volume in quarter note or 8th note patterns. With a tremolo effect your signal sounds chopped and rhythmic, so this effect is suitable for rhythm guitar.

 

A delay adds repetitions of your signal, just like an echo in the mountains does. However on a good delay effect unit you can set the number of repetitions (feedback control), the number of repetitions per time (delay time), and the balance between original and delayed signals. With a short delay effect your signal becomes more dense, the delay adds a kind of ambience. Sounds similar to an ambience reverb, but with more clarity. Longer delay times with low feedback rates (number of repetitions) make your guitar sound more thick. Longer delay times with high feedback rates can create complex patterns, especially when the delay tempo is synchronized to the song tempo. This can sound as if two guitar players are playing at the same time. The Edge of U2 is a good example of a guitarist using sophisticated delay effects.

[brad1]

Being from the old school of thought and just now picking up playing after many years of abstinence, the extent of effects pedals I have used are tremolo and fuzz. A friend of my cousin suggested I go with a delay pedal instead of a tremolo. Confused . . . is a delay pedal similar to the tremolo? What would you guys suggest? Back when I played last there wasn't such a thing as a delay pedal.

I would go with the advice from your Cousin's friend.

The delay pedal, IMO, would be much more useful than a tremolo. But hey, that's me. I use different degrees of delay all the time, with different styles of music. But I rarely use any type of tremolo effect.

 

I recommend you go down to the nearest Guitar Center, or any store that has a variety of pedals, and check out some delay pedals. Or perhaps try out your Cousin's friend's pedal for a little while. You might like it.

[Versatile]

FX seem to have proliferated in recent years...

 

I am having the most fun with a multi FX unit....Boss ME 70

 

Which has various Delay options as well as

 

Tremolo, Chorus, Reverb, Phaser, Flanger, Wah, EQ, OD etc

 

For the price of about 3-4 stomp boxes....

 

V

 

[Not-Too-Late]

Thank you all for your advise. The delay pedal sounds like something I should add, but I was wondering if both the delay and tremolo pedals could be used together?

[brad1]

Thank you all for your advise. The delay pedal sounds like something I should add, but I was wondering if both the delay and tremolo pedals could be used together?

Yes. And you could get an amp that has both those FX as well. That's just another option.

[brianh]

Thank you all for your advise. The delay pedal sounds like something I should add, but I was wondering if both the delay and tremolo pedals could be used together?

They can easily be used together, but tremolo is a specialty effect and delay is something you would use often.

[bonzoboy]

A touch of delay can put an amazing ammount of texture into your leads especially when used with a fuzz and flanger. Although tremolo is nice I'd opt for a delay pedal before I bought a tremolo.BTW Electro Harmonix makes some great delay pedals with a broad range of options and prices.Danelectro Cool Cat Tremolos are excellent and sturdy units for only about $50 and you can get anything from subtle to the pounding tremolo Johnny Marr got on the Smiths' " How Soon Is Now?"