Frieve EffeTune
Documentation

Delay Plugins

A collection of tools for adjusting the timing of your audio signals or adding distinct repetitions. These plugins help you fine-tune the temporal alignment of your audio, create rhythmic echoes, or add a sense of space and depth to your listening experience.

Plugin List

  • Delay - Creates echoes with control over timing, tone, and stereo spread.
  • Time Alignment - Fine-tunes playback timing for speaker and listening-position alignment

Delay

This effect adds distinct echoes to your audio. You can control how quickly the echoes repeat, how they fade away, and how they spread between your speakers, allowing you to add subtle depth, rhythmic interest, or creative spatial effects to your music playback.

Listening Experience Guide

  • Subtle Depth & Space:
    • Adds a gentle sense of space without washing out the sound.
    • Can make vocals or lead instruments feel slightly larger or more present.
    • Use short delay times and low feedback/mix.
  • Rhythmic Enhancement:
    • Creates echoes that sync with the music’s tempo (manually tuned).
    • Adds groove and energy, especially to electronic music, drums, or guitars.
    • Experiment with different delay times (e.g., matching eighth or quarter notes by ear).
  • Slapback Echo:
    • A very short, single echo often used on vocals or guitars in rock and country.
    • Adds a percussive, doubling effect.
    • Use very short delay times (30-120ms), zero feedback, and moderate mix.
  • Creative Stereo Spreading:
    • Using the Ping-Pong control, echoes can bounce between left and right speakers.
    • Creates a wider, more engaging stereo image.
    • Can make the sound feel more dynamic and interesting.

Parameters

  • Pre-Delay (ms) - Adds extra time before the signal enters the echo delay (0 to 100 ms). The first echo is heard after Pre-Delay + Delay Size.
    • Lower values (0-20ms): Echo pattern starts almost immediately.
    • Higher values (20-100ms): Adds a noticeable gap before the echo pattern, separating it from the original sound.
  • Delay Size (ms) - The time between each echo (1 to 5000 ms).
    • Short (1-100ms): Creates thickening or ‘slapback’ effects.
    • Medium (100-600ms): Standard echo effects, good for rhythmic enhancement.
    • Long (600ms+): Widely spaced, distinct echoes.
    • Tip: Try tapping along to the music to find a delay time that feels rhythmic.
  • Damping (%) - Controls how much the high and low frequencies fade with each echo (0 to 100%).
    • 0%: Echoes keep their original tone (brighter).
    • 50%: A balanced, natural fade.
    • 100%: Echoes become significantly darker and thinner quickly (more muffled).
    • Use in conjunction with High/Low Damp.
  • High Damp (Hz) - Sets the frequency above which echoes start losing brightness (20 to 20000 Hz).
    • Lower values (e.g., 2000Hz): Echoes become dark quickly.
    • Higher values (e.g., 10000Hz): Echoes stay brighter for longer.
    • Adjust with Damping for tonal control of the echoes.
  • Low Damp (Hz) - Sets the frequency below which echoes start losing fullness (20 to 20000 Hz).
    • Lower values (e.g., 50Hz): Echoes retain more bass.
    • Higher values (e.g., 500Hz): Echoes become thinner more quickly.
    • Adjust with Damping for tonal control of the echoes.
    • For predictable tone shaping, keep Low Damp below High Damp. If the values cross, the processor orders them internally.
  • Feedback (%) - How many echoes you hear, or how long they last (0 to 99%).
    • 0%: Only one echo is heard.
    • 10-40%: A few noticeable repeats.
    • 40-70%: Longer, fading trails of echoes.
    • 70-99%: Very long trails, approaching self-oscillation (use carefully!).
  • Ping-Pong (%) - Controls how echoes bounce between stereo channels (0 to 100%). (Only affects stereo playback).
    • 0%: Standard delay - left input echoes on left, right on right.
    • 50%: Mono feedback - echoes are centered between speakers.
    • 100%: Full Ping-Pong - echoes alternate between left and right speakers.
    • Values in between create varying degrees of stereo spread.
  • Mix (%) - Balances the volume of the echoes against the original sound (0 to 100%).
    • 0%: No effect.
    • 5-15%: Subtle depth or rhythm.
    • 15-30%: Clearly audible echoes (good starting point).
    • 30%+: Stronger, more pronounced effect. Default is 16%.
  1. Subtle Vocal/Instrument Depth:
    • Delay Size: 80-150ms
    • Feedback: 0-15%
    • Mix: 8-16%
    • Ping-Pong: 0% (or try 20-40% for slight width)
    • Damping: 40-60%
  2. Rhythmic Enhancement (Electronic/Pop):
    • Delay Size: Try matching tempo by ear (e.g., 120-500ms)
    • Feedback: 20-40%
    • Mix: 15-25%
    • Ping-Pong: 0% or 100%
    • Damping: Adjust to taste (lower for brighter repeats)
  3. Classic Rock Slapback (Guitars/Vocals):
    • Delay Size: 50-120ms
    • Feedback: 0%
    • Mix: 15-30%
    • Ping-Pong: 0%
    • Damping: 20-40%
  4. Wide Stereo Echoes (Ambient/Pads):
    • Delay Size: 300-800ms
    • Feedback: 40-60%
    • Mix: 20-35%
    • Ping-Pong: 70-100%
    • Damping: 50-70% (for smoother tails)

Quick Start Guide

  1. Set the Timing:
    • Start with Delay Size to set the main echo rhythm.
    • Adjust Feedback to control how many echoes you hear.
    • Use Pre-Delay to add an extra gap before the echo pattern starts.
  2. Adjust the Tone:
    • Use Damping, High Damp, and Low Damp together to shape how the echoes sound as they fade. Start with Damping around 50% and adjust the Damp frequencies.
  3. Position in Stereo (Optional):
    • If listening in stereo, experiment with Ping-Pong to control the width of the echoes.
  4. Blend it In:
    • Use Mix to balance the echo volume with the original music. Start low (around 16%) and increase until the effect feels right.

Time Alignment

Adjusts playback timing by a small amount, useful when you want to compensate for speaker distance differences or tune how the sound arrives at your listening position.

When to Use

  • Compensating for small distance differences between speakers and your listening position
  • Fine-tuning the timing of channels routed through this plugin
  • Checking whether a small delay makes the stereo image feel more stable or natural

Parameters

  • Delay - Controls the delay time applied to the channels routed through this plugin (0 to 100 ms)
    • 0 ms: No delay
    • Small values: Useful for compensating tiny arrival-time differences between speakers
    • Higher values: Creates a more noticeable timing shift
  1. Speaker Distance Compensation
    • Add a small delay when one speaker or channel arrives earlier at the listening position
    • Adjust in small steps while listening to centered vocals or other focused sounds
  2. Listening Position Fine-Tuning
    • Try very small values first
    • Stop when the center image feels stable and the sound remains natural

Remember: The goal is to enhance your listening enjoyment. Experiment with the controls to find sounds that add interest and depth to your favorite music without overpowering it.