what an ass, I have a serious gear issue...

[James R. Coplin]

> Also, software is SO good, that I almost never use anything but.

In this particular case, this is an interesting facet.  This is technically
my 4th SDD-3300.  For some reason, about 8 years ago, these were going for
$500+ each.  I loved mine but sold it as I needed gear.  I had other delays,
needed the cash for another piece (my Oberheim 4 voice I think) so I sold
it.  I immediately started missing the SDD-3300.  I ended up making an
ensemble in Reaktor to copy the functionality.  In many ways it was better.
Higher resolution, MIDI sync on the LFOs, etc.  I'm not going to get into
the "sound" argument because the 3300 was more about features and
capabilities than some mystical "sound."  Problem was, I ended up using the
ensemble all the time, just like my 3300.  However, this was a point where
CPU generations were just barely up to the task of VST and it didn't take
much to bog them down.  I ended up repurchasing a 3300 because the cost had
plummeted.  First to $300 and now to around $150.  A second one popped up
with someone I knew at an attractive price so I thought, might as well have
two.  Now, this third one has popped up and it is sort of out of spec as I
really don't need it.  However, I do use the pair of them quite often and
it's nice to have the real, physical hardware outside the computer.  Now, my
modular desk is on the other side of the studio.  Patching it into the
mixing desk (where the effects are) and having to constantly be turning
around to program the delay is enough of a hassle that the $150 I just spent
may be worth it just in the aggravation savings.  

Anyhow, you can't have too many delays can you?  It is the one effect I use
way more than anything else.  Lately, I'm finding that I'm using them in
really subtle, behind the scenes sort of ways.  In particular, I love
ducking one way back behind a drum/rhythmic line with ni feed back but
delayed in some interval of the main line. I just let it ride up in volume
to where you can almost hear it, but not quite.  If you mute the delay, you
can tell it's gone, but you can't really hear it when it's there.  I'm also
finding that I love to send 1/2 a stereo signal into a delay, no feedback so
that it's only single tap, return it into another effect full wet, and pan
the result slightly out from the other channel.  This works great on spring
verbs where the transients and interesting bits are getting verb but late.
They lay back in against the rhythmic structure in all kinds of interesting
ways.  Of course, I can't resist the big analog ping-pong delay when I put
on my cape and wank out on the Minimoog or similar but I only do that after
dark, when the kids are in bed in the secret basement below my basement.

James R. Coplin