The Delay Trick for Focused Mixes

The delay effect was muddying up the dry saxophone recording too much, overshadowing the performance instead of filling gaps between notes.

Sound Toys's Echo Boy plugin, the creator's go-to delay plugin for adding space and sense of depth to the saxophone line from the album Chroma Dream.

Use delay to fill tiny gaps between notes while maintaining the clarity of the dry recording and letting the saxophone performance shine through.

Set up the delay as a parallel audio effect track using a compressor with sidechain to control how much echo is heard during note playback.

Create an audio effect track with the delay set to 100% wet, separate from the dry unaffected saxophone signal chain.

• Prefix: Sends raw unprocessed audio from the chain before any effects are applied • Post Effects: Grabs audio including any effects added to it • Post Mixer: Includes audio effects plus volume fader and panning adjustments

Enable sidechain on the compressor and select the dry saxophone track as input. Choose the dry signal option to make the compressor react to the unprocessed audio.

The dry saxophone causes the echo to duck out of the way when notes play, creating space while allowing the delay to fill gaps between notes.

Adjust the compressor threshold to control how much delay is heard while the saxophone is playing.

The release determines how quickly the echo returns between notes. A faster release avoids creating a noticeable pumping effect on the echo.

The dry saxophone controls when the delay appears and disappears, creating a natural ducking that prevents the echo from clouding the melody.

The creator prefers to set the release fairly fast to maintain the echo's musicality and blend.

Apply EQ and effects specifically to the wet echo signal to shape its tone and character.

Add a touch of subtle vibrato to the echo to create a broken tape delay vibe with vintage character.

Use a tuner to ensure the vibrato doesn't drift too far out of tune, keeping the effect subtle and musical.

The delay no longer clouds the saxophone melody, and the vibrato adds subtle vintage character while maintaining focus on the original performance.

• Fab Filters Timeless includes advanced ducking features • Ableton Live's stock echo effect also includes built-in ducking capability

Set delay plugin parameters to similar values as Echo Boy, then gradually lower the threshold while playing audio to find the right ducking level.

• Sidechain delay on rap vocals to create rhythmic ducking • Sidechain reverb on synth bass to prevent muddiness

The technique can be exaggerated for obvious effect or used subtly to enhance clarity and space in various mix elements beyond delay effects.