How to Use Echo Effects

Echo adds delay to your audio to evoke space or add a rhythmic effect. Echo speeds are linked to your Track's master BPM.

Use Echo to create depth, rhythm, and interest in your vocals.

How to Access Echo

In Performance View:

1. Tap any of the Vocal Controls at the bottom of the screen
2. Tap Echo
3. Choose a preset or select Custom (Premium only)
    

After Recording (In Edit View):
 

1. Tap on your vocal segment
2. Tap FX & Volume
3. Tap Echo
4. Choose a preset or select Custom (Premium only)

Free Echo Presets

Everyone gets these echo presets for free:
 

Bypass

No Echo (the effect is "bypassed").

Use this when: You don't want any delay effect on your vocals.
 

Right to Left

Stereo delay that bounces back and forth from Right to Left.

Use this when: You want a ping-pong delay effect that moves between speakers. Best heard with headphones.
 

8th Note Bounce

Fast 8th note delay to accentuate fast vocal runs.

Use this when: You have quick, rhythmic vocals and want the delay to match that energy.
 

Resonant Buzz

Also known as "Slapback" delay. Really fast!

Use this when: You want that classic rockabilly or vintage vocal sound with a very short, tight delay.
 

Slinky

Moderately fast delay with a long decay for spacious sound.

Use this when: You want a smooth, flowing delay that creates atmosphere without being too obvious.
 

Coin Drop

Fast stereo delay with a louder presence in the mix.

Use this when: You want the delay to be heard clearly and prominently in your track.

Custom Echo (Premium Only)
 

With Voloco Premium, you can unlock all custom parameters of the Echo to sculpt your sound as you see fit. Tap Custom in the Echo panel to activate.

 

Duck Delay

Also known as Sidechain Compression. This will turn down the volume of your Delay trail under your Dry vocals. Useful for creating a cleaner mix and subtler Echo effect.

When to adjust: Turn this on if your delay is making the mix too busy or muddy. The delay will duck out of the way when you're singing.
 

Tempo Sync

This will toggle the time-based parameters below between free-time millisecond values and beat divisions that are synced with your Project's Tempo.

When to adjust: Keep this on if you want your delay rhythmically matched to your song's tempo. Turn it off for delays that don't follow the beat.
 

Left Delay

The amount of time in milliseconds or beat divisions before the Echo will engage on the left stereo channel.

When to adjust: Control exactly when the left channel delay happens.
 

Left Feedback

The level that the left channel of the Echo will be fed back into itself. A higher Feedback value will create more echoes for a longer time.

When to adjust: Higher feedback = more repeats. Lower feedback = fewer repeats that fade quickly.
 

Right Delay

The amount of time in milliseconds or beat divisions before the Echo will engage on the right stereo channel.

When to adjust: Control exactly when the right channel delay happens. Set different from Left Delay for ping-pong effects.
 

Right Feedback

The level that the right channel of the Echo will be fed back into itself. A higher Feedback value will create more echoes for a longer time.

When to adjust: Control how many times the right channel repeats.
 

X-over Feedback

The level that the left and right channels of the Echo will be fed back into the opposite stereo channel. Use this value to create a ping-pong Echo effect.

When to adjust: Turn this up to make the delay bounce between left and right speakers.
 

Dry Level

The volume of the dry, unaffected vocal. Increase this value to make your unaffected vocals louder in the mix for a subtler Echo effect.

When to adjust: Turn this up if the echo is overwhelming your main vocal.
 

Wet Level

The volume of the wet, affected Echo chain. Increase this value to make your Echo chain louder in the mix for a more prominent Echo effect.

When to adjust: Turn this up to make the delay more obvious and present.

Tips for Using Echo

Match the tempo. Echo sounds best when it's synced to your song's tempo. The presets automatically sync to your track's BPM.

Don't overdo feedback. Too much feedback creates a wall of echoes that muddy your mix. Start with lower feedback values.

Use slapback for vintage vibes. The Resonant Buzz preset gives you that classic 1950s rockabilly vocal sound.

Ping-pong for width. Right to Left delay creates a wide, spacious sound that's great for headphone listeners.

Duck the delay for clarity. If you have Premium, use Duck Delay to keep your main vocal clear while still having delay effects.

What Does Echo Actually Do?

Echo (also called delay) repeats your vocal after a set amount of time. Each repeat gets quieter until it fades away.

Without echo: Your vocals are direct and upfront with no reflections or repeats.

With echo: Your vocals have rhythmic repeats that add depth, space, and interest.

The difference between Echo and Reverb: Echo creates distinct, rhythmic repeats. Reverb creates a wash of reflections that simulate a space. Echo is more obvious and rhythmic, while Reverb is more ambient and atmospheric.

Common Echo Mistakes

Too much feedback. This creates an endless wall of repeats that clutters your mix and makes it hard to understand the vocals.

Delay out of sync. If your delay doesn't match your song's tempo, it will sound off-rhythm and distracting.

Echo and Other Effects

Echo works alongside your chosen FX effect. You can use echo with Hard Tune, Natural Tune, or any other vocal effect.

Typical signal chain:

1. Choose your FX (Hard Tune, Natural Tune, etc.)
2. Add Compressor for punch and consistency
3. Apply EQ to shape your tone
4. Add Echo for depth and rhythm
5. Add Reverb for space and atmosphere

Echo comes before Reverb in the signal chain. This way, the echo repeats also get reverb applied to them, creating a more cohesive sound.

Premium Features

Upgrade to Voloco Premium to unlock Custom Echo with complete control over Left/Right Delay times, Feedback, X-over Feedback, Duck Delay, Tempo Sync, and Dry/Wet levels. Create professional delay effects with studio-quality control.