The Tech Question of the Month #6: Delays

[roddswett]

August might have summer (cold winter down here) but no vacation regarding our favourite geek section of the Forum.
So this edition is about delays, very cool stuff here by SC and Jeff.What kind of delays -in terms of measure or type, not brand- did SC use?

Most notably songs using delay in drums would be: Walking on the moon, Bed's to big without you, Every little thing she does is magic (ping pong?); One World (clueless!); just to name a few.

Could you tell us which songs used Quarter, Dotted, Eighth Note Delays, etc. and also which songs used different types of delay (delay line; ping pong delay, pan, slapback, etc). MS informarion is also valuable (300 ms, 180 ms. etc.)



Enjoy summer!

[drummike]

The Ghost tour book had a page listing all the equipment used by the guys. Also, I think it's in the Police Wiki site. Stewart listed a Delta Labs digital delay, model DL-4. I think he also used the Roland Space Echo tape delay for awhile. Listening to different live recordings, it seems like there was a lot of variation in the amount of delay used and echo lengths. Sometimes the echo is on the kick drum, sometimes not. I guess it varies song to song, but the Rockpalast gig in 80 had way too much drum echo going on; it was as loud as the initial drum hits. Seems like the studio recordings had less echo, but I think the idea was to use the delay devices to thicken up the drum sound in concert. I always like to hear the Octobans with a lot of delay on them.

[Spec A!]

I always like to hear the Octobans with a lot of delay on them.

Wait, there's another way to hear them? Because Octobans with delay in the SC way is what's burned into my brain. They sound dead with out it! (without their tuning being cranked too).

[roddswett]

Are there any songs -recorded in studio- using delay on octobans? I can only remember some delay on the 2007 tour (i.e. ELTSDIM)

[jeffseitz]

[quote="drummike"]The Ghost tour book had a page listing all the equipment used by the guys. Also, I think it's in the Police Wiki site. Stewart listed a Delta Labs digital delay, model DL-4. I think he also used the Roland Space Echo tape delay for awhile. Listening to different live recordings, it seems like there was a lot of variation in the amount of delay used and echo lengths. Sometimes the echo is on the kick drum, sometimes not. I guess it varies song to song, but the Rockpalast gig in 80 had way too much drum echo going on; it was as loud as the initial drum hits. Seems like the studio recordings had less echo, but I think the idea was to use the delay devices to thicken up the drum sound in concert. I always like to hear the Octobans with a lot of delay on them.[/quote]

On the Zenyatta Tour in 1981 the Roland Space Echo was replaced by Delta Labs DL-4 and an AMS as backup.
Reunion Tour was a TC Electronics M2000.

Any song using delays had a predetermined delay time and mix matrix. The delay mix on the 80s tours was from the monitor desk, the reunion tour was from a mixer at my position on stage. Stewart always had a bypass foot switch at his position.

Some shows (Rockpalast) were mixed or remixed by engineers without band or management supervision.

From 1980 onward the delays were always setup for use in the studio, however if there was any delay added to a track it was usually in the final mixing process. Pre 1980 I believe certain tracks may have been recorded with the delays but that is a Nigel Grey or SC question.

[drummike]

Yeah, I suspected that Rockpalast was mixed by the German TV staff; somebody had that drum delay cranked pretty high. That Melbourne show from '81 was the first live Police show I heard, and although it wasn't perfect, I love the mix...the whole band sounded great and you could hear every piece of the drum kit. I love every live Police recording I hear, but some are better than others. Jeff, your replies are always greatly appreciated.

[TheEqualizer]

Jeff, your replies are always greatly appreciated.

Word

[jeffseitz]

[quote="drummike"]Yeah, I suspected that Rockpalast was mixed by the German TV staff; somebody had that drum delay cranked pretty high. That Melbourne show from '81 was the first live Police show I heard, and although it wasn't perfect, I love the mix...the whole band sounded great and you could hear every piece of the drum kit. I love every live Police recording I hear, but some are better than others. Jeff, your replies are always greatly appreciated.[/quote]


Well if you ever come across a live show with the word "Biarritz" 1980 on it, you know where to send it!

[drummike]

Sure...anyone have a recording of Biarritz 1980? I'd like one also.