U2 Fan has question about Tap Tempo feature in Timefactor…

[Sonicboom74]

Hello, All!  I have a question concerning my Timefactor, and it's making me to worry that I've blown my money on the wrong unit.  Hopefully somebody in this forum can provide some explanation that will prove me wrong.  So here I go…

I have programmed a nice delay setting with two different delays going on, each one at a different tempo, and the two overlap.  Because of their two different tempos from one another, I had to set them by milliseconds.  But I found that when I do this, I am not able to use the tap tempo switch to control the tempo.  So I am basically screwed if I ever need to use this customized preset on a different song that has a different tempo.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the only way I can have access to the tap tempo switch is if I program a preset to use the quantized delay settings (by time signature).  But are there separate TEMPO settings available for each delay?  I don't think there are, and that seems to be the problem.

The delay setting I am trying to program is U2's "the Edge" setting for "Where the Streets Have No Name."  So to rephrase my question, can I program this setting to have access to the tap/tempo switch??  I know there are a ton if U2 fans that have this pedal, and I hope you can help me figure this one out.

Thank you!

Paul. 

[guitarlesson]

Before I take a stab at helping you, I've gotta ask, are you trying to tap the actual length of each delay with your foot? With early tap tempo delays, that's what you had to do it, but dude, it's so much easier than that now. Before, you had to have perfect timing. Now you just tap the beat of the song and let the delay unit figure out the rhythms from that. It's a MUCH better way of doing it, and I'm about 99.9% certain you should be able to get the sound your looking for this way.

Anyway, I found a great analysis of U2 delay sounds at the site below:

http://www.amnesta.net/edge_delay/streets.html

In "Where the streets have no name", there are 3 delays. The first is a 20ms pre-delay that is probably not created created by a delay unit at all, but by microphone bleed from 2 amps setting 20 feet apart. The Edge did this a LOT. The other two delays are created by his old TC Electonics 2290s, one at 3/16ths (dotted 8th) and the other a 9/32nds (weird). I personally can't here the 9/32nds delay. The most vital is the second delay, so try this…

Delay A set to the shortest delay posible, say 1/64th or so, mixed in lightly with maybe two repeats. Delay B set to a dotted 8th mixed in higher with 2 or 3 repeats. Skip the third delay. I can't even hear it. These settings should get you close enough for any sane person to find acceptable.

[guitarlesson]

Here's a quick rundown of the way I got the "Streets" delay after some research. Try them in your unit and see what you think, and by all means play with the settings to see if you can make them better.

Effect: DigitalDelay

Tap Tempo: 129bpm

Mix: 39

Dly Mix: A5+B10

Dly Time A: 1/32

Dly Time B: 1/8•

Fdbk A: 30

Fdbk B: 35

(You might try adding some modulation to the echos for a little lushness)

[guitarlesson]

Update: I now set Delay A to 1/4. I think this is what that weird 9/32 delay was supposed to be since it's ALMOST 8/32. Also, instead of the DigitalDelay, I'm playing around with the ModDelay setting.

[TimothyT]

hi, i would like to ask a silly question, hope you don't mind. hehe..

is 1/8. (on the timefactor screen) dotted 8th?

[guitarlesson]

Yes. It's actually not a "period" after the "1/8," but rather a "bullet." Unfortunately bullets do not always render the same in every operating system and web browser. But yes, Dotted 8th.

[badmelonfarmer]

yep sure is a dotted 1/8….good to get your "Edge-on"

[Author]

Posts