U2-Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For delay settings?

[surfcat]

Is it one delay or two? Delay length/repeats? Having trouble getting it to sound right.

 

EDIT! I'm an idiot-I meant With or without You.

[johnrambo]

check out this page

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

[surfcat]

check out this page http://www.amnesta.net/edge_delay/

 

Perfect-thanks.

[MrSage]

 

check out this page http://www.amnesta.net/edge_delay/

 

 

Ugh.

 

I was about to post a link saying "stay away from this page." Some of it is dead wrong, some of it is very misleading, and some of it just makes no sense. It's written by someone who tried to turn Edge's sound into a formula, which doesn't work when you're not even playing the riffs right.

 

Off my soapbox...

 

441ms for "Still"

 

One delay. Almost always one delay. You can do some cool stuff with two delays, but Edge doesn't do that often and you certainly don't need two delays to cop his sound.

 

Number of repeats doesn't matter that much as long as it's more than one. I'd say 3-4 is about right.

[surfcat]

I can only approximate the time since there's no digital readout. I've got it about right-still don't have the rhythm right-this is gonna take some work. I'm using an internet tab so that may be the problem too.

[89strat]

I can only approximate the time since there's no digital readout. I've got it about right-still don't have the rhythm right-this is gonna take some work. I'm using an internet tab so that may be the problem too.

 

 

Yes, the rythm. In my cover band we do a couple of U2 songs, and it's as much about the rythm then the delay. I've really learned to appreciate Edge as a guitarist once I've tried to learn his parts. What kind of delay do you use? I use a dd-20 with the modulation setting at 365 for most stuff, like Streets Have No Name. A longer delay, as Mr. Sage suggested should work for that. Edge is not picking as many notes as you think. Keep the level up high so the first repeat is as loud as the picked note, and set to about four repeats.

 

And I agree with Mr. Sage, I've been on that website also. And although there's some useful and interesting info, most of the stuff can be done with one delay. Edge has said that he's used a second delay on stuff but only as a slap back type sound to add ambience, but that can be

approximated with a modulated delay. But really, any delay with some practice will get you close enough.

[TeleMan1985]

Yeah people seem to obsess about edge's delay times, I once did, but I've discovered it's actually more about the way edge plays than the delays he's using. I reckon edge could play into any old {censored} equipment without any delay and 95% of the time he'd still sound very much like the Edge. It's the same with a lot of guitarists. Obviously, yes, you want to get in the ballpark with the delay times and it will help if the're accurate, but if you wanna sound like him, you gotta play like him to. I'd put more emphasis on practicing that than measuring the delays down to 1ms.

[MrSage]

It's all about getting the dotted-eighth "groove" down.

 

Here's a quick "delay/no delay" clip from a guy who plays Edge in the NYC-based tribute band "Unforgettable Fire" (www.uf2.com). Should give you an idea of what you're supposed to pick and what the delay fills in.

[Lanefair]

around the 350ms mark always gets me into U2 territory. I use dotted eighth all the time, love it. If you have a human drummer you may want a tap tempo delay. DD20 is awesome for this.

[plawren53202]

Definitely trut about Edge sounding like Edge no matter what equipment he uses...I saw a video once where he was talking about how he came up with some of the more famous riffs (Streets, Pride) and he was playing them w/o any effects, just Strat into clean amp--and it sounded amazingly like the Edge. Go figure.

 

Having said all of that, it is well known that Edge often uses two amps for stereo delay. Because I only have one amp, here is how I copy the two amp setup using two delays in succession. My "primary" delay is a DD-5, set on the dotted-eighth setting and setting the delay by tap tempo. Level at 1-3 o'clock, repeats set for 3-4 repeats.

 

Then, before the DD-5 in the chain, I have a Deluxe Memory Man with the delay time set by ear to be 1/2 of the delay time of the DD-5 (so the repeats from the DMM fall between the repeats from the DD-5). Again, 3-4 repeats and I use the DMM to add a little modulation.

 

Before I got the DMM and had just the DD-5, I always had the general concept but it always sounded a little thin, like something was missing. With the modulation and the added layer of 1/2 time repeats the DMM adds, the first time I got it all figured out on "Streets", it was def. one of those "ahhhhhh" moments.

[MrSage]

 

Having said all of that, it is well known that Edge often uses two amps for stereo delay.

 

 

That's often repeated, but some of the best Edge tones I've heard have come from a single amp and a single delay.

[Tortuga]

Okay but he was looking for WOWY.

 

WOWY is around 100 bpm. To get the dotted eighth delay, do the following math:

 

100 beats per minute = 100/60 = 1.6667 beats per second

 

1/8 note gets 1 beat, dotted eight gets .75 beats.

 

.75 / 1.667 = 450 ms of delay

 

This will give a repeat every 3/4 of a beat (dotted eighth).

 

So if you're playing WOWY at a tempo of 100 bpm use 450 ms.

 

From there its all in finding the groove.

 

You click on this link: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=542389

 

to listen to my DND (Delay / No Delay) clip if it will help.

 

I'm no Edge or Mick (guy who did the SHFWILF DND) but I do what I can!

 

I forgot to mention, I agree with Mr. Sage. I think the guy with the "amnesta" website really over-thought it. Edge does sometimes use two delays to fill out the sound but the basic riff is characterized by a single delay. The trick is in figuring out what Edge is playing because its not always clear from listening to the wet signal. Usually its a dotted eighth repeat with 2 to 4 repeats about 40% wet.

[343 Salty Beans]

I actually tap my delay's tap tempo in triplets to get his delay sound.

[TeleMan1985]

 

The trick is in figuring out what Edge is playing because its not always clear from listening to the wet signal.

 

 

This is very true. 'Bad' gave me headaches for years, simply because I was overplaying the riff all the time. When I heard a sample without delay, I couldn't believe how simple it was, and now I have that one absolutely nailed...

[MrSage]

Okay but he was looking for WOWY.

 

Ah, I didn't see the edit.

 

WOWY is actually right around 400ms (401 for live ).

 

Here's another WOWY DND clip I had on my computer:

[Kestral]

This is very true. 'Bad' gave me headaches for years, simply because I was overplaying the riff all the time. When I heard a sample without delay, I couldn't believe how simple it was, and now I have that one absolutely nailed...

Bad has so few notes and is so deceptively easy, I almost feel guilty lol, I wonder when Edge is on stage if he's sometimes thinking omg, I'm playing so few notes and getting paid so much