Dry, reverb or delay live

[jgcable]

Just curious... what do you live players use?
I use Delay and reverb but I am thinking about ditching the delay live. Every amp I have ever owned always sounds better when there is nothing in the loop live.

[markD]

I play 100% dry. I have a delay on my board that I might kick in if the room needs it, but out of the last 8 shows I used it once. these days I am running a marshall rig without a loop, so everything is in front of the amp old-school style. once I ditched the modern amps with loops, I became a lot more aware of how effects dicked with my tone. I get endless compliments on my tone these days and it's just a marshall 3203/1936 with a board loaded with MXR pedals.

[ZL1hawk]

I would say use what works best for you John. I always use a Delay but that is mostly for a slight Delay. I've taken it out of the mix before playing live and regretted it so keep it handy.

[Hellbat]

Reverb always, delay typically only for solos.

[dvscool]

A tiny bit of reverb, and a tiny bit of delay.....I mean you can literally barely hear both......

[PowerTube]

I always used reverb live with the same settings as at home. But with delay, I always had to tone it down because higher volume seems to really make delay become more pronounced.

[dvscool]

I always used reverb live with the same settings as at home. But with delay, I always had to tone it down because higher volume seems to really make delay become more pronounced.

+1 - I actually found the same thing with reverb, which is why I use such a small amount of both. Almost "the less is more theory". I find it does make a big difference without it though......when you can just barely hear it and you think you need more...you don't....

[jgcable]

+1 - I actually found the same thing with reverb, which is why I use such a small amount of both. Almost "the less is more theory". I find it does make a big difference without it though......when you can just barely hear it and you think you need more...you don't....

I like to use a splash of delay and reverb in my live mix but at one of our last shows my pedal board crapped out so I ran completely dry except for a wah pedal. It didn't "feel" that good playing live but it certainly sounded good. The reason I use delay and reverb is we are a 4pc band. guitar, bass, drums and singer so when its solo time I am VERY exposed and the delay and reverb fatten up my sound and make it more interesting.
I am thinking maybe I should just try using the effects from our PA. We have a Yamaha SPX90 that we use for reverb and sometimes for delay.
I am going to try my Sonic Stomp in the loop of my Boogie and see if that will dial back some of the shimmer I am losing when I have any effect in the loop. I am currently using a Rocktron Cyborg Digital Destiny Delay. Its a great sounding delay but its obviously not transparent whether on or off. Another thing to try is a loop switcher so I can bypass the pedals with a footswitch. There is no way to bypass the loop on a Single Rectifier if there is something plugged into it.

[Chad]

With gain, I NEVER use reverb. For solos, I do kick on delay. I'm also often the only guitarist, so it helps thicken things up a bit.

For clean sounds, lately I have been using reverb and slapback delay. Kind of a surfy sound. But I used to run cleans mostly dry too.

[pianoguyy]

I am in the process of doing away with amps and just going straight to the PA. But until that day happens...


It varies with the music.
I have a Peavey Bandit 65. It has, IMO, that perfect 80's hair metal reverb. Spring reverb, not digital effect.
But that doesn't really work when playing other types of music.
Then, at the same time, my Marshall has a great tone, but the reverb in it is non existent.


And as to delay, I've always viewed that as an effect. It goes goes on and off based on the song.

[jgcable]

I am in the process of doing away with amps and just going straight to the PA. But until that day happens...


It varies with the music.
I have a Peavey Bandit 65. It has, IMO, that perfect 80's hair metal reverb. Spring reverb, not digital effect.
But that doesn't really work when playing other types of music.
Then, at the same time, my Marshall has a great tone, but the reverb in it is non existent.


And as to delay, I've always viewed that as an effect. It goes goes on and off based on the song.

Yea, that's how I want so start thinking about the delay. I just need to figure out a way to completely remove it from my effects loop signal path. Just plugging a patch cord jumper into the Boogie effects loop send and return changes the sound slightly.

[dannyr]

Tiny bit of reverb. No delay.

[VitaminG]

I just use a splash of delay as a song (or my mood) calls for it. So only occasionally

[sambencuda]

I go 100% dry with a little reverb for clean and a little delay for solo's. John, When I had my Single rec and my studio preamp, I ran a BBE 482 and it sounded amazing. I'd go with the BBE in the loop and that's it. If you want a little filler try something in the FOH. The SPX90 is a great unit.

[tomanyjacksons]

Reverb on cleans and some dirt (depends on the song) and delay on leads, except when we play Run like hell. I bought a different delay so I could use my Carbon Copy just for that song. All of my settings are very small(?) except for the MXR. All in front except for the reverb and it's built into the amp, Genz Benz El Diablo 100.