Ping-pong delay
Echoes that bounce left and right, in time
A ping-pong delay sends each echo to the other side: left, right, left. It makes a vocal, synth or guitar sound wide without touching the dry sound in the middle. It only works if the echoes sit in the tempo and stay out of the way, so set the time, feedback and low end with care. Ricochet has a ping-pong switch, tempo sync and ducking on one screen.
How to set up a ping-pong delay
- Put the delay on a send (aux) track, 100% wet, so the dry sound stays centred and you can blend the echoes in.
- Sync the time to the tempo. A 1/8 note bounces fast and tight, a dotted 1/8 gives the classic rolling feel, a 1/4 sounds slow and open. Without sync: 60,000 ÷ BPM = one beat in ms.
- Turn ping-pong on and keep the feedback at 25 to 45%, so you hear two to four bounces. More turns into a wash. (In Ricochet, the Ping-Pong Eighths preset starts you here.)
- Cut the echoes' low end (150 to 300 Hz) and roll off some top, so they sound wide but sit behind the dry sound.
- Duck the delay under the dry sound so the echoes fill the gaps instead of covering the words. Then check the mix in mono: the dry sound should still be clear.
Watch it explained: How to calculate delay time from BPM: the 60,000 trick
Hear Ricochet
What you get with Ricochet
- 10 ready-to-go presets
- Tempo-synced delay times, with feedback and mix
- Ping-pong mode for wide stereo echoes
- Built-in chorus that makes the repeats shimmer
- Ducking that keeps echoes out of the way while you sing or play
- Tone and low-cut controls to sit the echoes in your mix
Questions
What is a ping-pong delay?
A stereo delay where every echo jumps to the opposite side: the first repeat on the left, the next on the right, and so on. It adds width and movement without making the original sound wider or blurrier.
What delay time should I use for ping-pong?
Synced 1/8 notes for quick bounces, dotted 1/8 for a rolling groove (great on vocals and guitars), 1/4 for slow, spacious echoes. Pick the one that leaves room between the phrases.
Why does my ping-pong delay sound messy?
Usually too much feedback, too much low end, or echoes playing over the words. Lower the feedback, cut the lows at 150 to 300 Hz and add ducking so the repeats only come through in the gaps.
Does ping-pong delay work in mono?
Yes, but in mono every echo lands in the centre, right on top of the dry sound. Keep the delay a bit lower than feels right in stereo and check it in mono before you bounce.
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