Tap tempo or
no?
Do you really need tap tempo? Though this
feature is currently ubiquitous and many
players do feel that it is an absolute necessity,
at least for digital delays, it wasn’t always this
way. Tap tempo really didn’t really become
a normal thing for pedals until the 2000s,
when the Line 6 DL4 sparked something of a
revolution with its digitally modeled analog
tones and handy tap tempo button. Prior to
this, matching one’s delay times precisely
to the song’s tempo was rarely considered
necessary. It is worth noting, however, that
these were different times, and delay effects
tended to be used differently in the past than
they often are now.
Back in the analog days, delay effects were
used more as a sonic coloration
or enhancement than a real
effect. They added ambience
and liveliness, but because
delay times were typically
pretty short (think slapback
echo), not much more than that.
As digital delay units became
more common, players began
experimenting with longer
times and more prominent
repeats, essentially playing
the delay like an instrument
to create harmony lines and
rhythmic accompaniments.
This type of application
tends to require more careful
tempo matching.
When trying to find your delay style, ask
yourself how you use delay. Are you more
of a set-it-and-forget-it, slapback kind of
player, or are you seeking a symphony of
rhythmic echoes that would make the Edge
cream in his jeans? If you are the latter, then
you will want to keep tap tempo in mind as
a must-have feature. If you prefer shorter
delay times and analog-voiced tones, then
you can probably just go on living your life
like tap tempo doesn’t exist.
“. . . essentially
playing the
delay like an
instrument
to create
harmony...”
ToneReport.com
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