Dotted Eighth Delay Studies

Dotted eighth, the magical note integral to music of U2 and modern Hillsong. I've come up with several videos to properly explain how to set this up and apply this in a variety of situations: with a proper delay pedal, in the time signature of 6/8, and with a small practice amp that doesn't have displays.

Some background:

Here's a diagram to illustrate what happens when you use the delay:

The above represents four beats (quarter notes) in a bar of 4/4. The picked notes (top row as indicated with a ^) are picked on beats 1 & 2 & 3 &... (i.e. 8th notes) while the metronome clicks at 1, 2, 3, 4 (i.e. quarter notes). The delay notes come in three-quarters of a beat after the note is played (i.e. 3x 16th notes) and appears right after the next note is played.

Tone Tips: The Dotted Eighth Delay

Tone Tips: Programming the Dotted Eighth in 6/8

Tone Tips: Programming the Dotted Eighth with a Practice Amplifier

Tone Tips: Obtaining the Dotted Eighth on a Manual Pedal

Update: 14 June 2014

Some of you guys have been emailing me asking me why your dotted eighth setup with the "80/20" rule (effect level/feedback level) doesn't sound right. I've investigated several pedals and realized that some pedals function with a mix level knob, not an effect level knob.

What a mix level does is superimpose the wet/dry signal and allocates space between the wet delayed signal versus the dry signal (your playing). So if you have a high mix level, let's say 75%, what you hear is that in the sonic space, 75% is the delay, while 25% is your playing. Suffice to say, this really knocks you off your socks when you try to play this live, as the delay is so much louder than your actual playing.

Your goal in programming a dotted eighth delay is to have the repeats at the same volume as your playing. To achieve this with a mix level control, put the mix at 50% (so the ratio of wet/dry is 50/50). This should make the delay as loud as your playing and not overpower it.

Tone Tips: Mix versus Effect Level

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Platypus Test Kitchen

It is a rarity for me to find Christine for lunch on a weekday, so when the opportunity presented itself (in the form of an exit clearance medical examination I had to do at a clinic nearby), we decided to go with something slightly pricier than the norm: and hence our trip to the Platypus Test Kitchen at Crawford Centre, a place known for its hand-made pastas with specialty ingredients.

I had the truffle pasta with smoked bacon, which ranks at 70% shiok factor relative to the true truffle pasta I had at Jamie Oliver's restaurant in the UK! This goes beyond slightly more than a hint of truffle oil as offered by many other pasta places.

Milady went with one of her favorite pastas: crab meat pasta. You can see the chunks from the picture below, and it may not be as chunky as the squid ink crab meat pasta we had at Valentino (which converted me to considering crab as something I'd actually order at a restaurant), but it's sizeably sastisfying. I think I would have tasted the crab more if not for the overwhelming taste from the truffle pasta.

The meal upgrade is well worth the price, as it included a bowl of chunky mushroom soup and a drink. I went with lychee tea, which was a pleasant surprise: they used lychee essence and actual tea, not some Polka instant lychee tea.

All-in-all, it's definitely a place I'll visit again. I'll find some excuse to visit Christine for lunch!

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Sarnies

I was able to meet Christine for lunch near her work place, and I soon discovered that the CDB is riddled with little cafes, eateries and restaurants that command higher prices than elsewhere. On first glance, it can appear absurd to pay $15 for a sandwich (that's nearly two Subway meals put together!), but don't let that dissuade you from trying Sarnies, an Australian sandwich bar.

When I was a student in Australia, the canteens and cafes around campus had a few unique characteristics: they served sandwiches/croissants/salads for people on the go, there was Indie music played over the stereo system, some part of the cafe decor was dedicated to some form of art, and the coffee was good. Stepping into Sarnies brought back all those memories.

Christine and I decided to share a roasted beef sandwich and a salad, and they didn't disappoint!

Generous helpings of rocket and guacamole were the highlight of the salad, but we couldn't figure out where the bacon bits were. You can do what I did with the rye bread: use the guacamole as a spread and consume it like you would a starter bread. However, be warned that it's messy and potentially unglam.

I wish I had placed my hand in the shot to give some perspective of the size--it was a huge sandwich! Even with the toothpick to hold the sandwich together, there was enough filling of beef, lettuce and mushrooms to spill out despite my best efforts to keep it from disassembling. I had to remove the greens (and thus making it one level thinner) to comfortably hold the sanwich.

Last and certainly not least, I ordered a cappuccino. Do not add sugar! The chocolate powder used on the foam sufficiently sweetens each sip. The coffee was of the right acidity and had enough body to have some "kick", obviously to cater to the office workers needing a caffeine boost for the rest of the day.

All-in-all, it was a good experience and an enjoyable time, particularly for me because of the nostalgia. Try it out!

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