delay

In writing about music this spring, I looked for a space between audiophile tendencies of some listeners and, for the lack of a more concrete term, the listening for distraction of others. I guess this stance could be scene as a justification of my own place as someone who listens to a lot of music but has neither the funds nor the inclination to put together a high-end stereo.

That said, I find myself staking out a similar spot when it comes to playing and recording. While I understand those who prefer analog equipment with its warmth and limitations over digital and its perceived flatness and nearly endless possibility. I won't be sketching out a whole argument here; I'll proceed with an anecdote.

A few weeks ago, I sat in my living room talking with a close friend of mine about his painting and my playing. His work impresses me and even more so, his ability to work with little feedback on it.

In explaining my music to him, I realized something that I hadn't articulated before. I play with a digital delay pedal so that I can hear what I've just played back several times with some space between repetition. Those repetitions and that space together allow me to hear and react to what's already there. It slows the process down.

The pause the pedal creates allows me to interact with my own playing in a way that seems far from the impersonal, cold tags that analog fans put on digital technology.