48 !!Chapter 3
presets are small room, large room, auditorium, cathedral, drum rooms,
live-sounding rooms, and dead rooms (minimal reverb). In more intricate
units, hundreds of programmable combinations are offered. Some reverbs
contain presets only. Several reverbs are frequently used to achieve a
desired ambience.
The software DSP versions are programmed in the same manner. The
sound and programmability vary with the manufacturer. One manufac-
turer may have multiple delay units with different sounds and editing
parameters, while other manufacturers offer fewer choices. Selecting
reverb units is a matter of individual preference. Some units sound
‘‘warm,’’ while others are more resonant.
Delays.Delays are used to create various effects, the most common of
which is adding a feeling of space and depth to a vocal or instrument. By
listening closely to most contemporary recordings, a very faint repeating
effect can be heard behind the vocals. The length of the delay (e.g., an
eighth note, a sixteenth note, a dotted eighth note, or a triplet delay)
depends on the desired effect. The gain (volume level) of the delay is
adjustable, and proper use of delays adds depth to a mix.
Another use of delays (as described earlier with the Trance music
example) is to create a rhythmic, repeated effect on an instrument that cre-
ates a rhythm. An eighth-note or sixteenth-note delay is employed. The
most obvious question would be, ‘‘Why not write two eighth notes or four
sixteenth notes for each note rather than use a delay?’’ The answer is that
delay units can be programmed to use additional parameters in combina-
tion with the delay (e.g., feedback or repeats). Delays help to create an
ambience that cannot be accomplished by merely repeating notes.
Abasspartincorporatingdelaysandfeedbackaspartofitsbasic
sound has to be composed with the delay incorporated in the writing pro-
cess. A composer would almost certainly write a different part if the effect
were not an intrinsic part of the basic sound. This is an example of how an
effect is directly related to composition.
As previously mentioned, delay units are programmed in millisec-
onds. A formula can determine the number of milliseconds (at a deter-
mined bpm [beats per minute]) that will create a chosen delay. The
formula is 1,000/(bpm/60)%quarter-note delay in milliseconds. There is
also a printed list that supplies this information at various tempos. Some-
times, experimenting with various delays produces the desired effect.
Another common usage is to create a doubling effect. During record-
ing, the backgrounds are usually doubled. The singers record each part
two or three times, creating a richer sound. Choosing the proper delay can
accomplish a similar effect. When parts are doubled by the singer(s) who
sang the original part, the intonation and vibrato vary, making the dou-
bled effect sound more natural than the perfectly processed double. It
becomes both a creative and a financial decision whether to double parts.