Delay Plugins
Digital, analog, tape delays. Create rhythmic echoes and spatial depth. From clean digital repeats to warm degrading tape echoes.
Overview
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Control Count | 4-8 |
| Complexity | Medium |
| Visualizer | Wave Filled, Wave Line |
| Layout | Hero or Immersive |
Typical Controls
| Control | Widget | Range | Evocative Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Knob | 1-2000 ms | TIME, LENGTH |
| Feedback | Knob | 0-100% | ECHO, REPEAT, LOOP |
| Mix | Knob | 0-100% | BLEND, WET, DEPTH |
| Tone | Knob | 0-100% | TONE, DARK, COLOR |
| Sync | Toggle | On/Off | SYNC, TEMPO |
| Ping-Pong | Toggle | On/Off | PING-PONG, STEREO |
Recommended Visualizer
Primary: Wave Filled or Wave Line
- Shows the delayed/echo signal
- Users can see the repeats
- Waveform matches delay concept
Alternative: Scope Grid for technical look
Layout Pattern
Recommended: Hero Element or Immersive
Hero Layout
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ ECHO │
│ │
│ [waveform visualizer] │
│ │
│ [TIME] [FEEDBACK] [MIX] │
│ │
│ [tone] [sync] [bypass] │
└─────────────────────────────┘
Immersive Layout
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ ┌─────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ LARGE WAVEFORM │ │
│ │ VISUALIZER │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────┘ │
│ [time] [echo] [tone] [mix] │
└─────────────────────────────┘
Example Plugins
- Digital Delay - Clean, precise repeats
- Analog Delay - Warm, degrading echoes
- Tape Delay - Tape-style with wow/flutter
- Ping-Pong Delay - Stereo bouncing
- Multi-Tap Delay - Multiple delay lines
- Reverse Delay - Reversed echoes
- Slapback - Short single echo
Design Tips
Time Control
- Use logarithmic scaling
- Consider tempo sync option
- Label with ms OR note values when synced
Feedback is Key
- Shows how many repeats
- 0% = single echo
- 100% = infinite (be careful!)
Warm Echoes
- Tone control filters the feedback path
- Each repeat gets darker
- Essential for analog/tape character
Control Names
| Technical | Evocative Options |
|---|---|
| Delay Time | TIME, LENGTH, SPACE |
| Feedback | ECHO, REPEAT, LOOP, SPIN |
| Mix | BLEND, WET, MIX, DEPTH |
| Tone | TONE, DARK, BRIGHT, COLOR |
| Modulation | MOD, DRIFT, WOBBLE |
Color Suggestions
Digital Delay
- Accent: Blue, cyan
- Background: Dark blue
- Vibe: Clean, precise, modern
Analog Delay
- Accent: Orange, warm yellow
- Background: Dark brown
- Vibe: Warm, vintage, BBD
Tape Delay
- Accent: Amber, brown
- Background: Dark brown, warm gray
- Vibe: Vintage, warm, lo-fi
Common Mistakes
❌ No tempo sync option ❌ Linear time scaling (should be log) ❌ No tone/filter in feedback path ❌ Feedback goes to infinity unexpectedly
✅ Tempo sync for musical use ✅ Logarithmic time control ✅ Feedback filtering for warmth ✅ Controlled feedback behavior
Variations
Simple Digital Delay
Controls: Time, feedback, mix
Visualizer: Wave Line (small)
Control count: 3
Size: Small (280×300)
Analog-Style Delay
Controls: Time, feedback, tone, mod, mix
Visualizer: Wave Filled (warm colors)
Control count: 5
Size: Medium (360×380)
Aesthetic: Warm, vintage
Tape Delay
Controls: Time, feedback, tone, wow/flutter, saturation, mix
Visualizer: Wave Filled or Scope Glow
Control count: 6
Size: Medium (380×400)
Aesthetic: Vintage tape machine
Ping-Pong Delay
Controls: Time, feedback, spread, tone, sync, mix
Visualizer: Wave Filled (stereo)
Control count: 6
Size: Medium (360×380)