Delay setup advice for Satch/Vai style leads?

  • I've never used much effects and even delays are a bit of a novelty to me.


    Can you help me figure out how to get a great delay tone to give an impression of more sustain like the great soloists use?


    First, which kpa delay to use? I've been using "digital" and "double".


    Been using 45% feedback, 14db(?) for the effect itself. 35 predelay.


    It sounds okay but I wonder what I'm missing out on. From online discussions it looks like experienced users can get a lot from the kpa delays.


    Thanks!

  • Hi!


    If you search for Steve Vai in the rig manager there is a Vai leadtone that you can try and also look up the delay settings! Not sure IF it is spot on but it is a great leadtone!


    Best regards
    Black Steam

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    Delay like this?


    Legacy delay, 450 ms, mix 45%, feedback 38%, I setted it in combination with a reverb. Something missing in that tone?


    Cheers
    Frank

  • Hey is that you playing? IF so, wow you're a bad ass guitar player that sounds perfect. I appreciate Vai's technical playing, but i do not like that tone he uses, sounds too much like a synth.

  • Hey is that you playing? IF so, wow you're a bad ass guitar player that sounds perfect. I appreciate Vai's technical playing, but i do not like that tone he uses, sounds too much like a synth.

    Thank you Sir! Yes it‘s me and it‘s not perfect and note for note. It‘s just a quick improvisation over the backing track, noodeling when the recordknob is on. I don’t care for some wrong notes because I am a hobby player with lots of fun with the kpa.
    Sometimes I record some short clips to checkout some profiles or my tweaks and place them in my soundcloud. Than I post them here to give a feedback or information to interested forum members.


    I don’t like every Vai tone, you are right, some are very spacy but this tone here is killer imho and his cleans are outstanding for me. This depends in the special pickupwiring of the jem in switchposition 4.


    Again thx for your nice compliment!


    Cheers
    Frank

  • Vai uses two independant delays in parallel, with different delay times that aren't fixed to tempo, to create a cascading like effect. If you YouTube a Vai rig rundown, you'll be able to see the specific times he sets, then either use two single delay blocks or the dual delay to dial in something comparable (he only uses digital delay after the amp, too. No top end roll off).