Live players. How often do you use your modulation/delay pedals during a set?

[Son of SunnO)))]

Totally just curious. When I see a packed live board full of modulation I always wonder if some of the pedals are on for 30 seconds or less a night.
I use a phase 90 and a DD-3 for about 4 bars during a tune. Delay on one for about 2 bars on it's own, wah for one chorus and a PS-6 for 2 sections of one song in harmony mode. I think that's it although I occasionally step on the delay just for mucking around. Throw on a Pog always on for fattening single notes a Hotcake and a tuner and that's the board right now. I love effects but sometimes find I'm using them so sparingly, I almost want to switch things out.
I understand cover bands are a bit different as certain songs require certain effects.

 

[8len8]

Even in my cover band I'll rarely kick in a modulation or delay for more than a few bars.

I think you'll get responses across the board on this topic.

 

[Zutron]

I use my Small Stone fairly frequently, but I have to play a lot of funk/soul music and I despise wah so that's my option. If it wasn't for that I would have no use for modulation. Delay I use moderately for slapback and to thicken on solos. Bare bones. When I see 5 modulations and 8 delays on a 30 pedal crowded boutique board I assume that is a person who never plays live.

 

[c diddy 5000]

I have my delay on quite a bit. I like to use it to create a bit more room around the notes. I don't have a huge need for modulation, but will use it for several songs, depending on what band/style I'm playing. Lately, I've been using rotary, flange, chorus and trem here and there... Just for a song or two.

 

[johnh]

I would have the delay switched on for more modern songs, or "bigger" solos. I use a fast chorus or Univibe setting to punctuate some chorus parts, and I would use a trem pedal for some slow songs, probably in the verses.

 

[MyShadow46_2]

I play in a post-rock band so my delay is on 99.9% of the time. The only other modulation I have is term and I use that on one track for about 3 minutes.

 

[Steve73]

Tons of delay through the night but modulation only on 2-3 songs. Our set changes all the time so that could change!

 

[jackrockerman]

I use my Small Stone fairly frequently, but I have to play a lot of funk/soul music and I despise wah so that's my option. If it wasn't for that I would have no use for modulation. Delay I use moderately for slapback and to thicken on solos. Bare bones. When I see 5 modulations and 8 delays on a 30 pedal crowded boutique board I assume that is a person who never plays live.

 

[jazzfromhell]

Modulation (phaser) maybe 1 whole song per set, usually on a clean guitar, and the snippets here and there. I like it for the movement it creates.

Delay: lots. I usually have a low mixed tape-style delay on almost all the time, and sometimes I bring in the BIIIIG delay for the BIIIIIG bendy ballad-y leads.

 

[orogeny]

delay = always on
the audience might not notice my main setting though
tremolo = 2-3 times
vibe = 2-5 times
leslie = 2-3 times
qtron = 4 or five songs a night

out of 30-40 songs, it's probably 10-15 total

i do really like using vibe with a clean strat into a fender.
picture eric clapton's 'old love' with that. it's a beautiful sound.

 

[Bee Thomas]

Less than is justified by the money I spent on them!!

That's why I sold the H9. $500 for a solo delay.

 

[westarttodrift]

I have an M9 on my board, but I only use one delay and a phaser for accents here and there... I rarely am even using any of my dirt pedals... what is happening to me?

 

[jiml]

Just a pinch of delay on a solo here and there. Tremolo for a few rhythm spots.

 

[ndtealmusic]

I use delay a lot, but I generally turn it off in a heavy rhythm situation where it would just sound chaotic. I don't have a use for 3+ delays all at once, but I have a hard time with just the FTE, so I'll eventually move up to something with preset capabilities. I use modulation (vibrato/rotary/phaser) on cleaner and slower songs and on swells, but not as often as I'd like to think.

The lead guitarist in my band that is in essence no longer used a rotary effect A LOT, but tastefully. It added a lot that I wouldn't have thought to on my own when I wrote the songs.

 

[tiktok]

Reverb: almost always on
Delay (slapback): used at times for solo boost/thickening. Is part of my VV chorus/delay pedal, so if I have one on the board, I have the other by default.
Chorus set to fast Leslie effect: used in sections of ~8 tunes (bridges, choruses)
Phaser: used for all of two tunes and parts of others as needed

 

[Rockerduck]

Instrumentals that I do require a compressor, dirt, and delay. I actually leave them on all the time. I use modualation, rotory, for organist sounds, if I could justify a EHX B9 I would get it, but its not often enough.

 

[Nota]

My delay is always on. I'm always adjusting between songs. Either a CC or Echorec. Technically it does add modulation, so I actually do use mod all the time, but never on a separate pedal.

I love gigging with one "extra" pedal for all my ambient, mod, and delay needs. Never had ANYONE say something like, "gee, that song is supposed to have flanger" or anything like that.... even on songs like "Barracuda" etc. Sure, maybe the guitar guys notice, but I try not to care about them.

Less to carry, less to buy, more time to think about what I'm playing and who I'm playing to.

 

[thiscalltoarms]

I play in a post-rock band so my delay is on 99.9% of the time. The only other modulation I have is term and I use that on one track for about 3 minutes.

This. My delay and reverb is on like 99% of the time. I get what you are saying with modulation though- I rarely use it and when I do it's in small quantities...

 

[analogmike]

Delay : always on, short delays at low setting usually, longer, louder delays for most solos and on a few whole songs.

Mod : Phase90 on for a few some whole songs, and on for solos on another few.

Chorus : on light and slow with comp for some songs clean rhythm parts.
Use with dirt for some songs like Rush etc.

UniVibe : used on a few solos/riffs and rhythm on Blue on Black.

 

[drbob1]

I play in a "modern worship" band, so think U2 covers. To that end, I've got delay and reverb on all the time for just a little sweetening, then Chorus for a faux organ sound for softer tunes, and a phaser to bring out some leads when I don't want to be louder. I use a tap tempo delay for some dotted 8th silliness. Each one will be used maybe one or two songs out of 6.