> Step by step

1. Creating spin delays (continued)

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As you work through potential spins, it’s sometimes clear that different snippets need different delay timings, and it can work really well having targeted delay timings for specific points in the track. The easiest way to achieve this is to set up additional delays on fresh auxiliaries.

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In addition to quarter notes, synced delays that work well include half note or even three 16ths (a dotted eighth note), and this latter option is great when the track has a swing feel or you want to enhance that feel. Work your way through the track trying out different timings on different sections and different parts.

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Once again, when you’re happy, commit the send levels to automation in whichever way works best for you, and finesse the automation as before. Here for our vocal we’ve used a mixture of quarter note and half note spins, adding them alternately at the ends of phrases.

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So far we’ve focused on tempo-synced delays, and most of the delay spins we use are tempo-synced. However, it is possible to use free time delays as well. Unsurprisingly, these don’t work particularly well for longer delays. However, for shorter delays they provide a great way to create interest or fill gaps.

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The timing of the delay will roughly depend on the tempo of the track. Here the example track is at 126bpm and we’ve set the delay at about 210ms to start with. The plan is to create a slightly chaotic delay spin with a decent feedback level that builds quickly and then dies away quickly.

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Finessing this kind of effect requires a bit more automation, and on this occasion we’re controlling the feedback amount and return level. This creates a fast build up of the delay, which is then ducked down quickly, and we’ve reduced the feedback as well to quicken the decay stage.