DAVID GILMOUR DELAY TIME LIBRARY

NOTE: This website is frequently updated. Last update September 2022

DELAY SETTINGS - Most of the delay times David Gilmour used in the early 1970s with Pink Floyd were around 300ms long, since that was the approximate delay time of head 4 on the Binson Echorecs he was using at the time. He also used an Echorec PE 603 model from 1971-75 that had a maximum delay time of around 377-380ms. When he began using digital delays in 1977 he started to use longer delay times and specific times to rhythmically work with the song tempos. His most commonly used delay times were in the 294-310ms range and 430ms. Other common delay times were 380, 440-450, 480, and 540ms. 650-680ms were occasionally used for long delays.

Below is a song-by-song list of delay times with some settings. Some duplicate the studio album delay times and some duplicate the live delay times. It was compiled by measuring the echo repeats in official releases and bootlegs of live recordings, and from delay times visible on the LCDs of David's digital delays. Here are what the settings mean -

Delay Time: Shown in milliseconds. Unless otherwise noted, all delay times are shown in quarter notes
Feedback: This is the number of audible repeats. I list a number when I can clearly hear them, otherwise 4-5 repeats is usually close.
Delay Level: This is the volume level of the delay repeat compared to the original signal. Assume a 100% delay level means the delay repeat volume is exactly the same as the original signal volume, so the dry signal and the delay repeats will be exactly the same loudness. The level or volume knob would be set to maximum on most delays for this. Some delays allow you to dial the volume level of the repeat louder than the signal level, which usually means 100% is when the knob is set to 12 o'clock.
Delay Type: Analog delays are warm sounding, with repeats that are softer sounding than the original note due to a high end roll-off. Digital delays are cleaner and sharper sounding, more like an exact repeat of the original dry sound.


5 A.M. :
volume swells: 1100ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats. This the dominant delay, but there is also a 300ms delay low in the mix
solo: 530ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats

5 A.M. 2015/2016 live version:
solo: 580ms

A Great Day For Freedom - Pulse version (TC2290 Digital Delay):
solo: 680ms

Another Brick in the Wall Part 1:
delay time: 450ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats -- delay level: 25% -- delay type: analog/digital mix

Another Brick in the Wall Part II (live):
intro: 440ms
solo: 540ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats -- delay level: 18-20% -- delay type: analog

Any Colour You Like - 1994 live versions:
solo: 560ms
solo (Pulse): 490ms

Astronomy Domine - Pulse version (MXR Digital Delay System II for solo)
rhythm and solo: 460ms

Brain Damage - Pulse version (TC2290 Digital Delay):
350ms

Breathe - studio version (several duplicated multi track recordings offset to create the long delay repeats):
delay time to simulate offset multi track recordings: 930ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats -- delay level: 30-35% -- delay type: analog

Breathe - Pulse version (TC2290 Digital Delay):
chords / arpeggios: 480ms
slide guitar: 440ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats -- delay level: 30-35% -- delay type: analog
..................(requires a volume pedal before the delay in signal chain to create the volume swells)

Castellorizon:
530ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats

Coming Back To Life:
intro: 780ms

Coming Back To Life - Pulse version (MXR Digital Delay II and TC 2290 Digital Delay):
intro: 630ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats -- delay level: 17% -- delay type: analog
solos 2/3: Delay 1 = 360ms / Delay 2 = 650ms

Coming Back To Life - 2006 live version:
intro: 650ms

Coming Back To Life - 2015/16 live version:
intro: 425ms
solos: 375ms

Comfortably Numb:
delay time for intro and verse slide guitar: There are three different delay times on the repeats and they are slightly offset,
which is what gives the verse section that floaty, ethereal feel.

L channel -- 650ms with a single repeat, then another single repeat at 1850ms.
R channel -- 1400ms with two repeats.

You can simulate the verse delay with two delays in-line going to one amp. 650ms delay first, with 2 repeats, and 1400ms delay second with 1 repeat. You can also get something similar with one 650ms delay set for 2 repeats. Play the note, let it repeat, then play the note a second time where the 1400ms repeat would be. If you break the beat into a four count, that second repeat would be on 4. A single delay set at 1400ms with 3 repeats has a similar feel as well.

first solo: 450ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats -- delay level: 20% -- delay type: analog
second solo: (early in song) 580ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats -- delay level: 25% -- delay type: analog
....................(later in song): 450ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats -- delay level: 25% -- delay type: analog

Comfortably Numb - 1980-81 live version:
second solo: 380ms -- feedback: 6-7 repeats

Comfortably Numb - 1986 live version / Columbian Volcano Appeal Concert:
second solo: 750ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats

Comfortably Numb - MLOR tour:
delay time for both solos: 465ms or 480ms - feedback: 15-20% -- delay level: 20% (30-35% for waving part) -- delay type: digital

Comfortably Numb - Pulse version and most Division Bell tour performances:
second solo delay #1 TC2290 Digital Delay (whole solo): 480ms
....................delay #2 MXR Digital Delay System II (switched on at start of unison bends when mirror ball opens): 720ms
alternate 2nd Solo: 540ms
alternate 2nd Solo: (start of unison bends after ball opens) Delay 1 = 540ms / Delay 2 = 730ms

Comfortably Numb - 2006 OAI Tour:
second solo: 660ms -- feedback: 5 repeats

Comfortably Numb - 2015/16 RTL Tour:
second solo: 460ms -- feedback: 5-7 repeats

Dogs:
first solo: 507ms -- feedback: 2-3 repeats
fills under second and fifth solos: 507ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats
third (dry) solo: simulate studio ADT with a 40-50-ms slapback delay -- feedback: 1 repeat
fourth solo: 40-50-ms slapback delay -- feedback: 1 repeat

Echoes
slide violin intro: 300ms -- feedback: 8-9 repeats - delay level: 90-100% -- delay type: analog
solos: 300ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats - delay level: 15% -- delay type: analog
buildup and arpeggio delay time: 300ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 40% -- delay type: analog

Echoes - live Gdansk Version:
solos: 440ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 15% -- delay type: analog
buildup and arpeggio delay time: 300-310ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 40% -- delay type: analog/digital

Eclipse - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
430ms

Evrika:
470ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats

Faces of Stone - 2015/16 live version:
Solo: 430ms

Fat Old Sun- 1971/72 live versions:
Solo: 300ms

Fat Old Sun- 2015/16 live version:
Solo: 440ms ?

Give Blood
360ms -- feedback: 8 repeats -- delay level 100% -- delay type: digital

Great Gig in the Sky - live version
intro slide guitar: 1023ms
Alternate (Pulse): Delay 1 = 430ms / Delay 2 = 1023ms

Hey You:
solo: 475ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats - delay level: 15% -- delay type: analog

Hey You - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
solo: 500ms

High Hopes - live versions
solo: 420ms
alternate: 380ms

High Hopes - 2015/16 live version:
delay 1: 250ms
delay 2: 430ms

In Any Tongue - 2015/16 live version:
verse: 360ms
solo: 430ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats - delay level: 15% -- delay type: analog


............Mistress Mystery Page. .... . .


Keep Talking:
verse, solos: 450ms

Learning To Fly - Pulse version:
Tim Renwick solo: 520ms

Louder Than Words:
solo: 380ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats

Marooned - 1994 live version:
500ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats

Mihalis:
430ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats

Money solo - studio version - multiple guitar tracks were recorded with different delay times (Binson Echorec 2 and Binson PE603):
This is also one of the few Gilmour solos that features a heavy reverb effect, so it does not sound the same with delay only.
first solo: 310ms -- feedback: 2-3 repeats. Heavy reverb. This is probably spring reverb from David's Twin Reverb.
third solo (after dry solo): 380ms -- feedback: 2-3 repeats. moderate reverb, probably from the plate reverbs at Abbey Road studios.
The third solo is also artificially double tracked, which you can simulate with a short 60-90ms slapback delay with one repeat.

Money solos - live 1977 version (MXR Digital Delay System I):
520ms -- feedback: 5-6 repeats - delay level: 20% -- delay type: analog

Money solos- Pulse version (TC2290 Digital Delay):
1st solo: 310ms
3rd solo: 430ms

Money solos - 2015/16 live version:
1st solo: 435ms
3rd solo: delay 1 = 240ms / delay 2 = 435ms

Mother solo - 1980-81 live version:
440ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats

No More Lonely Nights:
520ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats

Obscured by Clouds:
there is no delay on the studio recording, but the multiple multi-tracked guitars playing slightly out of time with eachother make it sound like there is delay.
The best representation of this is a 340ms delay set for 3-4 repeats

On An Island:
first solo: 340ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats
second solo: 560ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats

On An Island - 2006 live versions:
outro solo: 430-450ms

One of These Days studio version (Binson Echorec):
bass guitar rhythm delay (two bass guitars): 294ms, 7-8 repeats
tremolo effect for middle section: 294ms delay, 7-8 repeats / tremolo with gated square wave, depth set to maximum, and speed set for
147ms (2X the delay repeats), or 2 pulses for every delay repeat. The tremolo is from an HH IC-100 amp was used for the studio recording.
You can simulate the amp tremolo with just about any tremolo pedal or tremolo amp with a square wave shape.

slide guitar solos: 300ms

One Of These Days - 2015/16 live version:
slide guitar solos: 400ms

On the Run (The Traveling Section) - early live guitar version from 1972 (Echorec PE 603):
380ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats

On The Turning Away:
solo: 540 - 580ms ?

On The Turning Away - 1991 live Amnesty International Big 3 O version:
solo: 580ms

On The Turning Away - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
solo: 540ms

Poles Apart - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
solo: 400ms

Raise My Rent:
614ms -- feedback: 6-7 repeats

Rattle That Lock:
studio album solo: 275ms
extended version solo: 430ms

Rattle That Lock - 2016/15 Live version:
delay 1: 90ms
delay 2: 375ms

Run Like Hell - two guitars multi-tracked (delay used was likely the MXR M113 Digital Delay):
380ms -- feedback 7-8 repeats - delay level: 90% -- delay type: digital

Run Like Hell - 1984 live versions - two delays in series, each with a different delay time (MXR M113 Digital Delay and Boss DD-2):
delay 1: 380ms -- feedback 10-12 repeats - delay level: 95% -- delay type: digital
delay 2: 254ms -- feedback 1-2 repeats - delay level: 55% -- delay type: digital
delay 2 alternate: 90ms -- feedback 1-2 repeats - delay level: 55% -- delay type: digital

Run Like Hell - Delicate Sound of Thunder and Pulse - two delays in series (TC 2290 Digital Delay for main delay + 2290 ADT effect):
delay 1 time (main delay): 380ms -- feedback 8-10 repeats - delay level: 95% -- delay type: digital
delay 2 time (second delay ADT effect): 80ms -- feedback 2-3 repeats - delay level: 30% -- delay type: digital

Sheep - 1977 live version:
rhythm/verse/chorus sections: 340ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats
middle keyboard section: 340ms -- feedback: 8-9 repeats
volume swells in lords prayer section: 340ms -- feedback: 8-9 repeats
outro: 340ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats

Shine On You Crazy Diamond I-V (Binson Echorec):
second solo: 370ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats -- delay level: 20% -- delay type: analog
Syd's theme: 290ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 20% -- delay type: analog
verse/chorus sections: 310ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats
outro arpeggio riff: 310ms

Shine On You Crazy Diamond VI-IX (Binson Echorec):
slide solo: 310ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats
second solo before verse: 350ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats
verse/chorus sections: 310ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats

Shine On You Crazy Diamond I-V - 1987-89 live version:
Syd's theme: 370ms and 480ms
second solo: 430ms - feedback: 3-4 repeats -- delay level: 15% -- delay type: analog

Shine On You Crazy Diamond I-V - 1994 live / Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
Syd's theme: 375ms and 500ms
second solo: 500ms - feedback: 3-4 repeats -- delay level: 15% -- delay type: analog

Shine On You Crazy Diamond I-V – Syd’s theme - 2016/15 Live version:
delay 1: 430ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 30% -- delay type: clear digital
delay 2: 275-290ms -- feedback: 5-7 repeats - delay level: 25% -- delay type: analog

Short and Sweet - David Gilmour live 1984 version (Boss DD-2):
480ms: feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 75% -- delay type: clear digital

Sorrow:
intro: 640ms: feedback: 4-5 repeats - delay level: 25% -- delay type: clear digital
solos: 540ms: feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 25% -- delay type: clear digital

Sorrow Solo and intro/outro - Delicate Sound of Thunder version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
650ms: feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 25% -- delay type: clear digital

Sorrow Intro / Outro - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
630ms: feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 30% -- delay type: clear digital

Sorrow Solo - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
560ms: feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 25% -- delay type: clear digital

Sorrow Solo - Strat Pack version:
525ms

Sorrow Solo - 2016/15 live version:
540ms

Take A Breath:
slide solo: 550ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats
middle section: 1000ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats
outro solo : delay 1 = 1000ms -- feedback: 1 repeat / delay 2 = 720ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats

Take A Breath 2006 live versions:
slide solo: 550ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats
middle section: 1500ms -- feedback: 10-12 repeats
outro solo : 550ms -- feedback: 3-4 repeats

Take It Back:
410ms: feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 90% -- delay type: warm digital

Terminal Frost - 1987-89 live version:
solos: 660ms -- feedback: 6-7 repeats

Time:
intro: Echorec head 4 = 312ms / Echorec head 1 - 78ms
Solo (several multi-tracked guitars): main delay 312ms / second delay to simulate offset multi-tracked guitars: 440ms

Time - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
intro: TC 2290 Digital Delay and PCM 70 Delay: Delay 1= 470ms / Delay 2 = 94ms
Verse / Chorus : TC 2290 Digital Delay: 430ms
Solo: TC 2290 Digital Delay: 430ms

Time - Delicate Sound of Thunder version (TC 2290 Digital Delay) :
solo: 430ms -- feedback: 7-8 repeats - delay level: 20% -- delay type: digital

Time - 2016/15 live version:
solo: 440ms

The Blue:
solo: 680ms -- feedback: 1 repeat - delay level: 30% -- delay type: digital. When the notes pitch up or down the delay has 4-5 repeats.

The Blue - 2016/15 live version:
delay 1 time: 430ms -- feedback: 5-7 repeats - delay level: 30% -- delay type: warm digital
delay 2 time: 1100ms -- feedback: 1 repeat - delay level: 10% -- delay type: warm digital

Today - 2016/15 live version:
delay 1 time: 90ms
delay 2 time: 360ms

Us and Them - Pulse version (TC 2290 Digital Delay):
verse / chorus: 430ms

Us and Them - 2016/15 live version:
verse / chorus: 435ms

Wearing the Inside Out:
first solo and fills: 470ms
second solo: 490ms

What Do you Want From Me?:
solos: 540ms

What Do you Want From Me? - 2016/15 live version:
solos: 430ms

Yet Another Movie:
intro and verse volume swells, first solo: 620ms -- feedback: 6-7 repeats
second solo: 640ms -- feedback: 6-7 repeats
volume swells in verse section after second solo: 540ms and 620ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats
outro solo: 620ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats

Yet Another Movie - 1987-89 live version:
intro and verse volume swells, first solo: 480ms -- feedback: 6-7 repeats
second solo: 480ms -- feedback: 6-7 repeats
volume swells in verse section after second solo: 680ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats
outro solo: 680ms -- feedback: 4-5 repeats

*While I did a ton of work figuring out many of these delay times, a big thanks goes to Raf and the fine folks at the Gilmour Gear Forum for providing some of the delay times and to Will for compiling a list of the 2015/16 tour delay times seen on David's digital delays!

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