Stacking Delays to Create a Lush Guitar Effect - How To Turn Your Car Ashtray Into An Audio Input

Stacking Delays to Create a Lush Guitar Effect


Hey, everyone. Mark Marshall for theproaudiofiles.com
and guitaristmarkmarshall.com.
Today, I want to talk about stacking delays
with almost identical times to create a really
cool, lush, effect.
I came across this effect on a gig where I
had two different delays running at the same
time. I didn't realize it, I only meant to
have one of them on, but somehow, they ended
up with the same time settings, and when I
started playing, the way that the notes were
stacking on each other were really neat.
It's not uncommon for me to have two delays
in my chain when I'm gigging. I'll have one
set to a fast slapback delay, and then another
one to a longer delay, and that way, depending
on what part I'm playing in a song, I don't
have to bend down and make too many tweaks
to either delays.
We'll be using the UAD EP-34, as well as the
Eventide H-3000. Now, the EP-34 is where I'm
going to be getting some of the grit, wow,
and flutter that you would get from a real
tape echo unit, and the Eventide, I'm going
to get that classic, 80's, clean, digital
delay sound.
You can use a number of plug-ins for this.
The stock plug-in within Pro Tools or Logic,
or I use the PSP Analog Delay sometimes. It
doesn't matter, but I think what matters is
having two slightly different delays from
each other. I think that's where some of the
fun is, is they each kind of morph the sound
in their own unique delay, instead of stacking
two identical delays on top of each other.
Let's listen to this first example with no
delay on it.
[guitar plays]
It's a real simple part. Let's put on both
delays.
[guitar plays with delays]
Let's just hear with the EP-34.
[guitar plays with EP-34 delay]
You can see that I'm hitting the echo pretty
hard so that it saturates with a little bit
of that overdrive.
Let's listen to the H-3000 now.
[guitar plays with H-3000 delay]
It's pretty clean. We'll put them both together...
[guitar plays with both delays]
What's interesting is the Eventide actually
cleans up the EP-34, and that's not something
you would expect.
The order that you run these plug-ins is going
to affect the outcome, so if you put the digital
delay first, then run that into the tape echo,
then that's going to alter it, because the
dirty signal, the saturated signal, it's going
to come at the end.
This next example is definitely in the U2
family of guitar parts.
Let's listen to it with no effects first.
[guitar plays]
Let's hear it with both effects.
[guitar plays with both delays]
Let's hear it with the EP-34 only.
[guitar plays with EP-34]
Let's hear it with the Eventide only.
[guitar plays with Eventide]
They both sound good individually on their
own, but there's just something really exciting
happening when they're both together.
For the last example, I used the tone knob
on a Stratocaster to swell in chords for an
ambient-like effect. The only thing I changed
is I put an LA-2A before the delays, just
to compress the signal a little bit. Often
when you're doing swells on the guitar, it's
hard to get a lot of signal out of it, because
by the time you swell the chord, the attack
is gone.
I'll often use an LA-2A or 1176, or any compressor
for that matter, to squeeze it and get a little
more sustain and volume out of it.
Let's listen to it with no effects.
[guitar plays]
Okay, let's listen to it with both delays
on.
[guitar plays with delays]
In this example, you could really hear the
wow and flutter of the tape echo, and how
it's feeding the other delay, because of the
legato nature of the part.
I'm going to take this a step further by sending
it to a reverb. I like to do this on these
parts because it just expands it, and makes
it sound more symphonic, but it's also going
to bring out some interesting frequencies
and harmonics in the upper registers.
[guitar plays with reverb and delays]
It almost has a glacial like quality to it.
That's my tip for this week. I hope you give
it a shot and have great success with it.


How To Turn Your Car Ashtray Into An Audio Input


Hey guys
Thanks for clicking over to BigNate84
And what a beautiful day it is
In this video I will show you
How to turn the ash tray of your car
Into an auxiliary audio input
Let's say for an iPod, Zune
Or any other type of MP3 player
You may have
I will be using
The factory radio of a 2002 GM vehicle
That has no audio slave unit
Keep in mind audio slave unit
Is just a technical term
For external CD player
Or any other type of external device
That is controlled by your car's radio
The auxiliary interface
Is the heart and soul of this project
The interface I'm using
Was originally made by Peripheral Electronics
And it's called the PXGM24
Most likely you have a different
Make and model vehicle
And will require a different interface
Don't worry I will show you
How to find exactly what you need
It should also be noted that
Peripheral Electronics has either
Bought out or changed its name to
Pacific Accessory Corporation
If you'd like to subscribe you can
Click on the BigNate84 logo
Alright first thing's first
Lets find out what type of interface you need
Head over to www.pac-audio.com
At the top of the page
You can select make, model and year
Of your vehicle
After you fill out that information
You will be directed to another page
Where you can see all the products
That are compatible with your specific vehicle
You'll have to pick a device
That works best for what you want to do
I went with a generic analog audio input
So that any MP3 player or audio source
Will work in my car
You can also pick iPod specific interfaces
Make sure you read the fine print
In the product description before you buy
anything
Some devices are designed to work
With CD changers and some without
For anyone with a 2002 GM vehicle
It looks like they discontinued the PXGM24
And replaced it with
The AAI-GM12
It's not exactly the same interface
But this installation will be very similar
You will need a screw driver
Both a flathead and phillips
A socket set
A coat hanger or fishing tape
3.5mm stereo mini
To duel RCA audio adapter cable
An auxiliary input interface
MP3 player and proprietary USB charging cable
USB car adapter
Small piece of fabric
Zip ties
Electrical tape
Step 1: Remove the ash tray
From the sliding compartment
It should just snap out
Step 2: Remove the dashboard
You'll need to locate and remove
All the anchor points
With the screwdriver and socket set
This is the most time consuming part
Of the project
Step 3: Remove the factory radio
Locate the anchor points
There should be at least three
And remove the screws
It should slide out with a little finesse
Step 4: Unplug the wire harness and antenna
Step 5: Fish the audio cable
Use a coat hanger or a fishing tool
To run the cable from behind the radio
To the ash tray
Step 6: Connect the audio cable to the Aux
interface
I like to insure a good connection
By using some electrical tape
On the RCA's
Step 7: Connect the auxiliary interface
First plug the interface into the wire harness
Next plug the other end of the interface
Into the back of the factory radio
It's a good idea to neaten up
The rat's nest of cabling
With some zip ties
Step 8: Don't forget to plug the antenna in
It can be a huge waste of time
And source of frustration
If you forget this step
I know this from experience
Step 9: Put the radio and the dashboard
Back in place
Secure some fabric with glue or velcro
To the inside of the compartment
This will add a more finished look
And keep the MP3 player in place
Now when you press the CD Aux button
On your factory radio
You can listen to your Aux input source