Musical Reverse Delay tips

[ARch]

One of the things I've always appreciated is a guitarist's good, musical use of a reverse delay, especially when it's 100% wet.

As little as I've played with the Reverse delay, I've never been able to get it into a territory where it was more than just messing around and something that I'd actually be able to use in a song. To me, reversing some bits during POST doesn't count.

I've got an M9, DL4, and DD-5 left, and I was wondering if you guys have any general tips or even settings for these pedals to make some nice reverse delayed melodies...

[jordanchristie]

I would like to hear some tips as well. I would love to utilize reverse delay musically but I can't seem to crack the code.

[rhythmicist]

Yeah I would like to hear some tips on this also. When you go to 100% delay signal there is that delay in between where you play the note to when you actually hear it.

Do people play in front of the beat so that the reverse sounds line up with the tempo of the song.

[gtrfinder]

Well a pedal can't read your mind, or anticipate what you're going to play next, so its never going to be perfectly in time. I suppose you could learn to play in front of the beat to match the reverse signal, but I'm not sure even that would sound "right on" every time.
I've had success by matching the dry signal with the delayed one and just being happy with some cool trippy ambiance provided by the reverse delay around the dry note.

[Dica3]

Originally Posted by rhythmicist

Yeah I would like to hear some tips on this also. When you go to 100% delay signal there is that delay in between where you play the note to when you actually hear it.

Do people play in front of the beat so that the reverse sounds line up with the tempo of the song.

when using reverse reverb 100% wet live, this is exactly what I do. never exact though...

[Bryan T]

I use a lot of pre-bends when I play with a reverse sound.

[ARch]

Originally Posted by gtrfinder

I've had success by matching the dry signal with the delayed one and just being happy with some cool trippy ambiance provided by the reverse delay around the dry note.

Yeah, the ambiance I've got, just wondering how some of those great 100% wet riffs are constructed. I suppose I'd accept "a lot of planning in the studio, and a lot of muscle memory live".

[thefacelessnate]

I have never really liked 100% wet where I can't somewhat hear my original signal. I've gotten comfortable with the TC Nova Delay/Repeater and the timing they use for theirs. I've also mainly used it for ambience, but am getting more into use it for solos. I used to want to be in the 100% world, but found that I was more comfortable with my dry signal coming through and letting some of the reverse fill in the space. It sounds Hendrix-y, and I'm ok with that. Bottom line, you have to play around and experiment like crazy. You'll find what works for you and your style, but don't try and make it work in a song/line/melody that it just isn't working for. I have been guilty of that many times.

[ShaneV]

Originally Posted by jordanchristie

I would like to hear some tips as well. I would love to utilize reverse delay musically but I can't seem to crack the code.

Haha, same here- I juts make noise when I try it.

[Bryan T]

Also, play phrases that are shorter than the length of the delay time.

[llc55]

I thought I was the only one not really getting reverse. I used to play in a Beatles tribute band and was supposed to do all those reverse fills and leads like in Tomorrow Never Knows and I'm Only Sleeping. I found it nearly impossible to line it up with tempo and could only create ambience fills and stuff. Some use to work, some don't.

Good to know I'm not alone.

[ARch]

Originally Posted by Bryan T

Also, play phrases that are shorter than the length of the delay time.

Speaking of, what do you guys typically tap into? 1/4, 1/8? Whole?

[meterman]

Originally Posted by Bryan T

Also, play phrases that are shorter than the length of the delay time.

this is how I do it, if I'm trying to pull off the 100% wet reverse thing live I set the delay time long (DD20), like 1500ms. Then I can create slightly less long legato phrases that don't get chopped and interrupted unnaturally. Works ok, well enough in most cases....

[cram]

oh dear... I'm plugging in that pedal I never use now!

Honestly, I get in a spell of trying to experiment, but then lose interest.

[TenneyThe2nd]

I use a half note timing with a mostly dry reverse signal (the kind that lets a little reverse through for filler).

I don't go full wet often, but when I have done that, I usually go for very long time, like around 1000-2000ms or 30-60bpm.