InsideTheDJBooth.com

Feb

22nd

Basics of Effects

What are effects?
There are many different kinds of effects and each one of them has a different application. All effects take the audio signal and either delay or manipulate the signal. The effected signal is then mixed back over the top to add another dimension of sound artificially. The most common of these are 'delay' and 'reverb'.

Delay
Delay, as the name suggests, adds a delayed sound to the original sound. In a more detailed explanation, delay takes an audio input signal and stores it for a determined length of time before passing it to the output thus giving an 'echo' effect when mixed with the original source. The length of time delay is normally adjustable from a few milliseconds up to the maximum available. This level will vary from unit to unit according to the amount of memory fitted. A good delay unit will also feature a fully adjustable feedback control. The more you turn up the knob, the greater the number of repeats. Setting the correct delay, relative to BPM is crucial. Many of today's DJ effects units are equipped with an automatic tempo facility. Otherwise you must get this right manually or the effect will sound a complete mess. If there is no automatic facility then there should at least be a digital readout showing the delay time. At 120 BPM, (2 beats a second), a delay time of 500ms (1/2 second) will give you a delay exactly one beat long, one second will give two beats delay and so on. From this it is possible to work out exactly what time delay you need to set.

Reverb
Reverb adds 'space' to a sound. Reverb simulates the component of sound that results from reflections from surrounding walls or objects. It is in effect a room simulator. Pretty much all recorded music has some reverb added to elements of the track during recording or mix down. A recording studio used to make dance music is usually a very sonically 'dry' environment and reverb is added to give more dimensions and color to the sound. It can also be used to add an ambience to the mix, giving it character or a more live sound. The length and amount of reverb used will vary not just on the overall track, but on individual sounds within the recording. The drums may have a very short 'room' type effect to keep them sounding tight and up-front in the mix, while a vocal may have a large 'hall' effect to make it sound huge and uplifting. In general, there is little to be gained from adding reverb to a full-on section of a track. However, adding a splash of 'hall-sized' reverb to the occasional bass drum during a sparse drum break can sound very effective and dynamic. Reverb is something to be used sparingly for best effect

Flanging
Another common effect used by DJs is Flanging. Flanging produces the sound of an ascending or descending jet plane. Flanging is one specific type of phasing. In phasing, the signal is passed through one or more all-pass filters which have non-linear phase response, and then added back to the original signal. Flanging effects are the ones that make you go cross-eyed when listening on headphones! Adding this to a hi-hat break or an acappella (i.e. singing without instrumental accompaniment) or during a breakdown can be particularly impressive. Sometimes even adding it to the entire track can be fun, but again, over-use can spoil the effect.

Other common effects include echo, pan, trans and so on…

Buying Tips
Most effects units are two-channel stereo. If you want to be able to add effects on each turntable independently, you may need to buy two! Also check if the unit will accept phono level inputs. If it does not and there are no suitable insert points or effect sends on the mixer, you may not be able to use two independently without adding preamplifiers to both turntables. If you are using line level sources such as CD, you can simply place the effects unit between the source and mixer input. You can also connect the effects unit between the mixer output and the amplifier, but this means that when an effect is used it will alter the whole output signal. If your mixer has effect or cue send controls, these can be utilized to route independent channels to the effects unit which is then wired back to the auxiliary return buss. Bear in mind that cue and effect sends are often mono, so the overall effect may be reduced.

Never buy any effects unit without trying it first unless the shop agrees to a sale or return deal. Manufacturers will always try to make their products look good in the sales literature. Remember, it isn't what looks good; it's what sounds good that counts. Listen, test and make sure before you buy.

Occasionally, manufacturer's products offer long delay times at the expense of audio quality by reducing the bandwidth of the delayed signal. Some machines will give you the choice of short, full bandwidth or long, reduced bandwidth operation. Beware of cheap delay or effects systems offering long delay times, often these give very poor quality reproduction of the delayed signal. Generally speaking, it is always best to go for a dedicated effects unit rather than mixers with built-in delays or devices. There are exceptions, like Pioneer's excellent range, but sometimes on-board devices are not as good quality and lack proper controls. The price is a good guide. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is!

Important!
It’s important that you always practice at home or at least in an empty club. There is nothing worse than out of sync echoes and some crazy distorted noise when you’re trying to dance!
Use effects sparingly. It is easy to get carried away at first. Use effects to enhance mix points and breakdowns.

Always make sure you read the instructions very carefully before using any effects unit, paying particular regard to the connections. An incorrectly installed unit can cause irreparable damage to mixers, amplifiers and speakers.

Most important! Don’t overuse effects. Less is often more. If you overuse an effect, you will find that its life span as a creative tool will soon be exhausted.