Delay
Echo effect that repeats the signal after a set time.
Detailed explanation
Delay (also called echo) is an audio effect that takes the incoming signal and repeats it after an adjustable time — quieter with every repeat. In DJing, delay is used mainly when fading a track out: switched on shortly before the end, the track rings out organically. The critical part: the delay time has to be locked to beat units (1/4, 1/2, 1 bar), otherwise it sounds off-beat and chaotic.
Assessment by the DJLearn editorial team — experience, not a sourced factual claim.
In practice
The track should end, but you do not want to simply close the fader. You put a delay on the last piece of vocal, pull the fader down and let the echo ring out — the voice hangs in the room for a few more beats while the new track is already running. It is one of the few effects that sound good straight away, even for beginners. The mistake is usually the dose: two delays in a row is one too many.
Assessment by the DJLearn editorial team — experience, not a sourced factual claim.
Where to learn this
Using DJ effects properly
The guide that covers this topic in depth.
Explained in this phase
Phase 10: FX & Filter