What is a delay designer?
Delay Designer is a multi-tap delay and a free delay plug-in effect for GarageBand.
The Delay Designer is a very simple delay effect.
It is an effect that only controls feedback by volume.
Feedback is the repetition of the original sound.
As we will discuss later, this feedback can be very dangerous.
If not used with care, it can damage your speakers and your own ears.
The delay designer will manipulate the feedback with volume to control repetition. If you use it correctly, it will be a strong ally, so please learn how to use it here. Let’s check it out.
If you want to know more about delays, please refer to “Understanding Delay”.
If you want to know about other delay effects, please see the following effects.
1) Echo
Sample Delay
Stereo Delay
(4) Tape Delay (Tap Delay)
It may be difficult to distinguish between reverb and delay, but they are completely different things, so please do not confuse them. The echo effect that can be set for karaoke, etc. is a combination of reverb and delay, so please do not confuse the two as well.
How to use Delay Designer
Delay Designer is a plug-in effect that comes standard with GarageBand. Third-party delays (plug-ins from other companies) have more functions and can do more than GarageBand, but the standard Delay Designer should be sufficient.
First, learn to use the Delay Designer that comes with GarageBand to acquire basic skills.
To open the plug-in, select “Delay” → “Delay Designer” and set the plug-in.
You can now set up the Delay Designer.
Let’s take a look at each parameter of the Delay Designer.
On/Off Function
When the Delay Designer is applied, the button turns blue when on. When turned off, the button turns gray to stop the effect.
popup menu
A pop-up menu allows you to select and use a template. This default down arrow opens the settings.
Plug-ins such as GarageBand have templates in the pop-up menu.
Checking those settings may give you some hints for mixing, so please take advantage of them and see how you can use them for your own skills.
There is also an item called Details in the pop-up menu, which you can customize by saving and loading your own delay settings.
Change parameters for Dry
Dry is a parameter that allows you to change the volume of the original sound in decibels. Move the slide bar to determine the amount of the original sound.
Check how the effect is applied in dry and wet. If the dry slide bar is set all the way to the left, only the effect sound will be heard.
Change the Wet parameter
Wet adjusts the volume of the effect. Use the horizontal slide bar to adjust the volume.
When the wet slide bar is set all the way to the left, only the original sound is played.
Feedback Enable setting
By checking the Feedback Enable checkbox, you can enable or disable feedback.
Feedback determines how much of a repeating sound is generated relative to the original sound.
This is important because delay is often compared to a mountain pebbles.
Checking this box enables feedback, and the item “Feedback Amount” below it.
Be very careful when using this feedback.
If you use it incorrectly, you may damage the speakers or your ears.
Why it is dangerous is explained in detail in the section below.
Set Feedback Amount
Checking the Feedback Enable checkbox described above will allow you to set this Feedback Amount.
The Feedback Amount determines the amount of feedback and can be set with the slider on the side.
When the value is mute, no feedback occurs. (move the slider all the way to the left), which means that there will be no feedback volume.
When the value is in the negative direction, each time feedback occurs, the sound gets quieter.
What this means is that when feedback is sounded for the original sound, the next feedback will sound the volume set by this Feedback Amount.
As I mentioned earlier, if you set the Feedback Amount to +6.0 dB, the feedback will be sent to the input at full volume.
What is dangerous about this is that the volume will increase with each feedback, as follows: original sound → first feedback (original sound + 6.0 dB volume is sounded) → second feedback (original sound + 6.0 dB + 6.0 dB volume is sounded).
Be careful not to repeat this process three or four times, as it will become too loud and may damage the speakers or cause damage.
This section introduces recommended plug-ins for use with GarageBand, a lineup that is very useful for settings that are difficult to make using GarageBand alone, or for beginners to quickly create professional-grade sounds just by using them.
For more information, please check our plug-in recommendations for use with GarageBand.
GarageBand Delay Designer Usage Summary
Delays can be used to add depth to a song or to enhance instruments and vocals.
There are many different types of delays, so why not try using them in different ways and incorporating them into your own music?
See you soon.
