Delay

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The delay button on Online Sequencer

Delay is an audio effect in which the source sound is repeated over a certain interval of time, like an echo. In Online Sequencer, delay is either on of off, with no configuration. Here, delay is always governed by the current tempo of the sequence. This delay always has 3 taps (duplicates of the original sound) that play in even succession with decreasing volume. The first is an eighth not after the original sound, with the subsequent taps played with the game gap between them. In other DAWs, delay may be infinitely configurable, but some configuration is possible on OS by using other features to create delay.

Manipulation

The delay toggle is good for a simple eighth note echo effect, but so much more can be done with delay using the features in OS. For example, copying notes and pasting them a few spaces after their original position will create the sound of a delay effect, by literally echoing the notes being played. This philosophy can be applied to create delays with many taps, or a very slow echo. It is important to consider that overlapping notes created through this method of delay will usually sound correct, but will behave strangely with 8-bit instruments. Additionally, elements such as distortion and pitch bends will not work well with copy paste delay.

Using cloned instruments opens up more possibilities for delay options, such as stereo delay and the application of different pass filters to different taps. The process is the same as before, except the copy pasted notes are changed to a clone of the instrument being used. For a stereo delay effect, an instrument can be panned to the left, and then its clone can be panned to the right. The notes of the clone can be shifted to play slightly later. For even more nuance, different amounts and/or types of reverb can be applied to either side. Applying Nova or Classic Reverb to the delay tap can make it sound like an instrument is being played on one side of a room, and the sound is bouncing off of the other. This can add a lot of depth to the music, but can sound bad if it is done to multiple instruments at once.