Multitap Delays- Not Very Popular?

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I was making some multitap patches on my VF-1 tonight (inspired by a multitap delay I heard used on the vocals to a Mars Volta song) and came on here to see if I could find some interesting soundclips, and there really seems to be very little talk of them at all on the forums. I always figured this was a commonly available effect on the multieffect units- am I wrong?

[Chronicle]

which song?

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Vermicide uses one at the end of a lot of the vocal phrases.

[bassman1185]

What exactly is the difference between "standard" and multi-tap delays?

[Bryan R. Tyler]

A multitap delay is one where you can program when and how loud the sound of each delay happens rather than each delay sound being the same length apart from one another. By doing this you can make rhythms for your delay sound or have a bunch of fast taps in a row ending in a longer delay (as in the Vermicide song), etc. This can also be repeated by adjusting the feedback percent and level. The multitap on the VF-1 has 20 taps you can program, for example.

[speak_onion]

Echo Park, SMMH and RE-20 delays can do it, among others. It's fun.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I wouldn't say the one on the Echo Park really counts (I had one)- you can't adjust how many taps or when each of the taps will sounds. Great pedal though.

[speak_onion]

Ya, most pedal-based multi-taps aren't so full-featured.

The MagicStomp has some nutty-bones multi-tap features. I think they're based on some other Yamaha delay. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I think it has 4 pedals?

The UD-Stomp, that's it. Instain.

[bigchiefbc]

The Super Delay has a rhythm mode that allows you to tap in a rhythm for the delays, although I think its limited to 4 taps. Nevertheless, still really fun to play with

[newbold]

Pigtronix Echolution is a multi tap delay. All sources say it's awesome and does things no other delay does...

...but that being said it's $600...

the DL4 has a multitap feature i think (tape head delay)

[JanusZarate]

The SMMH, to be clear, is a limited multi-tap delay. You can't adjust individual durations between each repeat. You can do some pretty cool stuff just with having control over the volume, however. You can have repeats fade in from nothing, remain at the same volume, fade out quicker than they normally would, etc. - but it's always a linear pattern (again, no adjusting individual repeats).

It also lets you set exactly how many repeats you want. I can't remember the number of maximum repeats at the moment (it's buried in my old review, I'm sure ), but it's also useful if rhythmic delay patterns are your goal.

I don't think complex multi-tap features are available in most pedals which tout a multi-tap feature - it'd be difficult to employ live, at any rate, and it'd require a more complex interface just to be able to program it.

It's probably why you don't see it talked about much, here - there's little in the realm of "average Joe" affordability that would have a complex multi-tap delay feature, and it's one of those effect variations that simply don't get used in most styles of music - less so than even some of the more bizarre-sounding pedals out there.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

That may explain why you don't hear many guys outside of the Robert Fripp-types using it

Setting up the rhythm/volume for each tap is certainly not something I'd want to do live as it takes a few minutes. I can change the rate of the delay speed via expression pedal though, so it's pretty each to fit into different speeds once the taps are set.

[JanusZarate]

I just realized I use a lot of hyphens - perhaps too many - for sentences that could easily be phrased to work without them.

Even to the point of hyphen-abuse. I might be hyphen-obsessed to a frightening - no, downright terrifying - degree.

Hyphen-hyphen-hyphen.

[warwick.hoy]

Bryan,

Did you catch my Thread on the ToadWorks Redux?....I've been pushing the hell out of it.

This is the "multi-tap" delay soundclip with the offset all the way up. I like it but have to do some more experimenting in order to open those sounds up. I can do more clips afterwards.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7256736

Here is the thread just for Grins

ToadWorks Redux 1st Impressions (56k warning)

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

I don't think complex multi-tap features are available in most pedals which tout a multi-tap feature - it'd be difficult to employ live, at any rate, and it'd require a more complex interface just to be able to program it.

I used to gig with an Alesis QuadraVerb+ in my rack; that had a pretty comprehensive multitap delay capability, all accessed via 2-line backlit LCD display that was easy to navigate onstage. Still, lack of a tap-tempo feature made it almost useless for on-the-fly improvising, but it came in pretty handy for distinctive effects pre-programmed on a song-by-song basis.

I would think the current bottom-of-the-barrel units from Lexicon or tc electronic can do this in their sleep.

Have I out-hyphened you yet?

[fightthepower]

mysticboo gettin' hyphy in this bitch.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I still can't record direct since switching PCs (Firepods don't like combo firewire drives apparently ), but here's a quick audio sample I pulled from video (hence the quality) showing a couple sounds an expanded multitap effect can make:
http://bryanrtylermusic.com/multitapsample.mp3

[JanusZarate]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Have I out-hyphened you yet?

In a quasi-matter-of-fact way, possibly-and-probably, on that one occasion. But I - the weird-but-mighty-and-awesome MysticBoo - can out-hyphen you with outrageous-yet-effective efforts.

Hyphen-hyphen-hyphen.

Originally Posted by fightthepower

mysticboo gettin' hyphy in this bitch.

Worst genre ever to be born in the Bay Area. I'm ashamed to say it came from here.