Meeting Topic: Total Delay
Speaker Name: Alex Case, assistant Professor of sound recording technology of University of Massachusetts Lowell
Meeting Location: Flashpoint Academy - Chicago, IL US
A Delay is the basis for flanging, chorusing, pitch shifting; reverb almost every effect in book when it comes to sound engineering. Delay is a fairly simple concept and defined merely by a short, medium, and long delays. We had the pleasure of finding out what delay is really about from the author of one of our textbooks at Flashpoint Academy, Sound FX the Assistant Professor of Sound Recording Technology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Alex Case. Alex gave us a presentation on delay within music, and how you can achieve delay without the use of outboard gear, or plug-ins.
Such as with comb filtering, by introducing a delayed signal to an existing signal it negates and boosts certain frequencies (phase). This has everything to do with our business, building a studio, mic placement, etc. By adding a room mic or two and depending on where you put it within a room, you can change the character of your subject quite tremendously. When in the same magnitude, and same timing but in opposite phase/voltage (negative + positive) will cancel each other out. Any frequencies that are in-phase will double and strengthen the signal. There will always be frequencies that get canceled and those that will be boosted, but always at the delay time will start up again. No EQ can do what comb filtering can do. The amount of amplification in a certain frequency, would create distortion. A guitar amp on a wood floor will project to the microphone but the reflection off of a wood floor can be just as strong of a signal and have a delay time.
Alex also stressed that delays and effects can go beyond than just sounding cool, and fill a empty space, but also can add to the emotions it can evoke. An echo such as in Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, the Hello in the beginning of the song, without hello (through a delay) the song has no dimension and is empty between the lyrics. With a quick of a tempo (eighth note) is too quick and leaves no room for lyrics to be understood, and creates a busy sound. Describing the emotional effect of having the delay amongst the message of what they lyrics and the song are trying to interpret. To fast = like someone trying to shake you and wake you aggressively. The meaning of the delay is supposed to bring grogginess, and an awakening. Too long and it seems that it was just another lyric and not an echo.
A great piece of advice Alex gave us before ending his presentation was to learn by forcing yourself into working with one piece of equipment, get familiar with it. Know how to make it work, even if there is better out there. Situations in recording can come down to this being the last mic/piece of equipment, how can you make it work.
