The master of delays, David Gilmour, has provided more insight into how he achieves the sound he describes as “swell” – a multi-delay effect that somewhat mimics a synth pad.
“It's a sound I call 'swell', because it's a swelling sort of sound. A sound I've used many times on all sorts of tracks going back years and years and years,” says Gilmour in a new video breaking down his guitar techniques.
“It's sort of slightly orchestral. It's created with delays but you don't hear the impact note in theory.”
While Gilmour doesn't specify the delay pedals he uses to create the swell, the technique he demonstrates in the video employs the Strat's tremolo arm for a more pronounced effect, plus an Ernie Ball volume/expression pedal. In this particular case, Gilmour uses a Fender Strat reminiscent of his iconic Black Strat.
In a 1993 Guitar World interview, Gilmour spoke about using the Binson Echorec machine as his go-to delay unit up until 1977 and the Animals era. “The Binson was an Italian made delay unit. It was strange, because it didn't utilize tape loops. Instead, it used a metal recording wheel.
“You could get some wonderful delay effects that aren't attainable on anything that's been made since One of these Days [from 1971's Meddle] evolved from some of my experiments with the Binson, as did Echoes [also from Meddle].
“One day, Roger decided to take some of the techniques that I was developing and try them out himself on bass. And he came up with that basic riff that we all worked on and turned into One of these Days.”
In the new video interview, Gilmour reveals that he uses the swell technique on his new album, Luck and Strange, specifically on the tracks Scattered and Black Cat.
Luck and Strange is Gilmour's first new material in nine years and features a new producer tearing up the rulebook. It's set for release on September 6 via Sony Music.
