Grain Delay
Headrush Delay

Grain Delay

Inspired by HeadRush® Original

The Grain Delay it's a delay granular, the signal is broken into small fragments (grains) each grain can be modified (tempo, pitch, direction)

Characteristics:

  • Delay non-linear and creative
  • Advanced pitch shifting
  • Glitch / ambient / cinematic effects

It's closer to a synth than a delay

SOUND CHARACTER

  • Fragmented textures
  • Glitch/reverse/shimmer effects
  • Cinematic atmospheres
  • Continuous movement

Can be: Subtle (pad) Extreme (glitch chaos)

Control Parameters

Delay SyncY/N
  • Y → synchronized to BPM
  • N → free
PreDelayms

Time before the grains leave:

  • Low → immediate
  • High → delay before effect

Separate dry and effect

Fdbk Delayms

Feedback loop time:

  • Low → dense repetitions
  • High → spaced repetitions
Feedback%

Amount of repetitions:

  • Low → few
  • High → continuous loop

With grain = infinite texture

Grain RateHz

Grain generation rate:

  • Low → few grains
  • High → many grains

Taller = denser

Grain Lengthms

Grain life:

  • Short → glitch
  • Long → pad
Grain Smooth%

Transition between grains:

  • Low → clean cuts
  • High → smooth

Fundamental for sound quality

Grain Sprayms

Temporal Randomization:

  • Low → precise
  • High → chaotic

Spreads over time

Grain Spread%

Stereo distribution:

  • 0% → center
  • 100% → wide stereo
Grain Direction

Grain direction:

  • Forward → normal
  • Reverse → on the contrary
  • Random → mixed

Super creative

Grain Pitchseeds

Transposition:

  • 0 → original
  • +12 → octave
  • +7 → fifth
  • 12 → octave lower
Grain Rand

Random pitch:

  • Low → stable
  • High → unstable
Grain Pitch Mode

Quantization:

  • Off → free
  • 1 seed / 2 seeds → step
  • Major / Minor → musical
  • Fifth / Oct → harmonic

Very important to avoid chaos

Delay Character

Sound Color:

  • Neutral → clean
  • High Cut 8k → hot
  • High Cut 4k → very dark
Mix%

Effect Quantity:

  • Low → light
  • High → dominant
FreezeY/N

Lock buffer:

  • Y → infinite loop
  • N → normal

Infinite pad effect

TailsY/N
  • Y → continue
  • N → stop

Pro Tips

  • You want ambient → length high + smooth high
  • You want glitch → short length + tall spray
  • Want musical → use pitch mode
  • You want huge → high spread

Universal setup:

  • Grain Length: 150 ms
  • Smooth: 60%
  • Pitch: +7
  • Pitch Mode: Minor
  • Feedback: 40%
  • Mix: 30%

Creative but musical

For “infinite shimmer”:

  • Pitch: +12
  • Feedback: High
  • Freeze: ON

kinematic pad

Quick Reference

  • Delay Sync: Sync tempo
  • PreDelay: Initial delay
  • Fdbk Delay: Feedback time
  • Grain Rate: Density
  • Grain Length: Duration
  • Grain Smooth: Fluidity
  • Grain Spray: Random time
  • Grain Spreads: Stereo
  • Grain Direction: Direction
  • Grain Pitch: Transposition
  • Pitch Mode: Stairs
  • Feedback: Repetitions
  • Character: Tone
  • Mixes: Amount
  • Freeze: Infinite loop
  • Tails: Tail

Setup Examples

Ambient shimmer

Grain Length200 ms
Grain Smooth70%
Grain Pitch+12
Pitch ModeMajor
Feedback50%
Mix35%

Ethereal sound

Infinite pad

Grain Length300 ms
Smooth80%
Feedback70%
FreezeY
Mix50%

Continuous drone

Glitch FX

Grain Length50 ms
Ratehigh
Sprayhigh
DirectionRandom
Pitch RandHigh

Glitch effect

Musical texture

Grain Length150 ms
Smooth60%
Pitch+7
Pitch ModeMinor
Feedback40%

Musical but creative