Want your echoes to blend naturally behind your main sound instead of fighting with it? Meet Duck it! Delay, our delay plugin that automatically turns down the echoes while the audio plays, then brings them back during the silent moments.
This guide will walk you through the interface and controls so you will be able to get the best results out of Duck it! Delay.
The interface
The duck
At the center of the interface, the duck will constently react to the audio being played and allow you to visualize how much the echoes are currently attenuated.
- When your signal plays, the duck lowers, showing that the delayed signal is being attenuated.
- As the dry signal fades out, the duck rises, indicating that the echoes are returning to the mix.
This gives you a way to see how much the delay is being attenuated at any moment.
Delay time
The Delay Time knob sets how long the plugin waits before playing back the echo.
- When sync is off, the delay time is measured in seconds.
- When sync is on, the delay time locks to your project’s tempo, allowing you to pick musical divisions between 2 and 1/16 notes as your delay time. You can also change the note type to triplets or dotted using the menu under the slider to create more complex rhythms.
Feedback
Feedback determines how much of the delayed signal is fed back into the input. This is where you decide how long your delay will “live” in the mix.
- At 0%, you’ll only get a single echo.
- At 100%, echoes will repeat infinitely.
Duck speed
The Duck Speed knob determines how fast the ducking reacts to your input.
- Slow (turtle): The ducking releases more gradually and needs longer pauses to return to full volume.
- Fast (hare): Reacts instantly to small gaps in your signal.
Slower speeds introduce latency, so make sure to use fast mode if you need real time responsiveness.
Duck level
The Duck Level knob controls how much the delay is reduced while the dry signal plays.
- At 0%, there will be no ducking, so the plugin will work like a normal delay.
- At 100%, the delay will be completely muted whenever the dry signal is playing.
Dry/Wet
- The dry slider controls the volume of the original (unprocessed) signal.
- The wet slider controls the volume of the delayed signal (the echoes).
Cutoff
The cutoff knob allows you to adjust the low-pass filter cutoff frequency, allowing you to remove the high frequencies from the echoes.
Sidechain
Enable sidechain mode to let another track control the ducking behavior.
For example, if you place Duck it! Delay on a vocal track, you can send the instruments into its sidechain input. That way, each time the instruments start playing, the vocal echoes will be lowered, and when they stop, the echoes will return.
UI Scaling
You can easily resize the interface of Duck it! Delay to fit your screen or workflow.
Click the white arrow next to the title at the top of the plugin to open a menu where you can choose between several interface sizes depending on your preference or screen resolution.
That’s it!
You now understand how to use Duck it! Delay! Now it’s your turn to use it to create space, rhythm, and movement in your mix.
And, if you haven’t already, buy Duck it! Delay here, and start experimenting with it now!