Mixing Secrets

CHAPTER 17

Mixing with Delays

A delay effect creates patterns of echoes that are typically much simpler than those of a reverb. Although most small-studio mix engineers seem to favor reverbs for mixing purposes, delays can actually be more useful because of the way they deliver reverb-style enhancements in more precisely targeted ways—think of delay as a sniper rifle compared with reverb's shotgun! For many upfront modern productions, in fact, delays may be more suitable than reverbs, simply because they take up less space in the mix and can be made less audible in their own right. For example, most of what people think is reverb on Spike Stent's productions is actually delay.¹

17.1 ESSENTIAL DELAY CONTROLS AND SETUP

When faced with a delay ...