An effect that records a signal and replays it one or more times after a set interval, creating repeating echoes you can sync to the track.
Delay captures a moment of audio and repeats it at a defined time interval, with each repeat typically decaying in volume. When synced to the track's BPM, the echoes land on the beat, making delay one of the most musical tools available on a DJ mixer.
Why it matters
A synced delay on a vocal or synth stab adds rhythmic complexity without breaking the groove. Throwing delay on the outgoing track just before a cut is a reliable way to exit cleanly while leaving energy in the air.
In practice
Set the delay time to a musical division, typically 1/4 or 1/8 note, then fade the wet signal up on the last phrase of the outgoing track and kill the channel. The echoes carry the sound out naturally.
