Delays are relatively simple effects in that they do one thing - they repeat the sound of the guitar.
In the following, click on the icon to hear an MP3 file of the effect.
Typically the parameters available when setting up a delay are the delay time, usually expressed as a number of milliseconds (1ms = 1/1000 of a second), and the amount of feedback. The latter is useful for configuring whether the effect gives a single echo, or multiple echos.
Let's take a listen to some examples of a delay effect being used. This first example is a single echo, at around 550 milliseconds. This soundbyte shows the basic sound with the delay on, and then it illustrates how a delayed signal can build up an interesting "layered" sound. Incidentally, for a superb example of this sort of effect, take a listen to Brian May's solo on "Brighton Rock" on the "Sheer Heart Attack" album by Queen.
This next example has a shorter delay time (around 200ms), and the delay is set up to give multiple repeats. Also note, if you're listening to this in stereo, the way that this particular delay effect pans the delay signal left-right (this is sometimes called a "ping-pong" delay).
How useful did you find this tutorial?