Video 5 of 5 · Worship Guitar Effects
Dotted-Eighth Delay For Worship Guitar: The Essential Rhythm Tool
Use dotted-eighth delay to make simple parts feel full, energetic, and locked in with the band.
This is Part 5 of the Worship Guitar Effects Series. In this final video, Chad shows you how to use dotted-eighth delay -- the classic worship delay setting -- to add rhythmic subdivision, fill in the gaps, and keep the song moving without playing more notes.
You'll hear it on real worship songs (like "The Lion and the Lamb" and Chris Tomlin's "Holy Forever"), then see exactly how to tap it in and use it on your own board.
In this video you'll learn
- What dotted-eighth delay actually is (and how it differs from a quarter-note repeat).
- How dotted-eighth fills in the space between your notes to make parts feel busier and more exciting.
- How to compare no delay vs quarter-note vs dotted-eighth so you can clearly hear the difference.
- How to stack a dotted-eighth and a quarter-note together for classic worship rhythms.
- A simple way to tap in dotted-eighth by ear using the "dotted eighth" phrase, even if your pedal doesn't have that subdivision.
- What to look for in a delay pedal (tap tempo + dotted-eighth mode, or how to fake it with quarter-note).
By the end, you'll know how to set, hear, and feel dotted-eighth delay so it actually helps you lock with the drummer instead of fighting the groove.
Try this dotted-eighth delay exercise
After you watch, take 10--15 minutes and try this:
- Pick a simple rhythm part you already play at church (eighth-note pattern or simple riff).
- Play it dry first and listen to how it feels.
- Set your delay to a quarter-note repeat and tap in the tempo (1-2-3-4). Play the part and notice how the repeats tend to sit under your picking.
- Now switch to dotted-eighth and tap in the tempo again. Play the exact same part and listen for all the extra subdivision and bounce the delay adds.
- If you only have a quarter-note mode, use Chad's trick: tap in the rhythm of the words "dot-ted eighth" and listen for the dotted-eighth feel.
- Try stacking a quarter-note delay and a dotted-eighth delay together and feel how they interact.
The goal is to train your ear so you can hear and feel dotted-eighth instantly when you turn it on in a song.
You've finished the series. Here's what to do next.
You've now gone through all 5 parts of the Worship Guitar Effects Series:
- Reverse delay for movement and atmosphere.
- Fuzz for big, aggressive moments.
- Ambient reverb for pads, swells, and huge lead lines.
- Octave for thicker parts and organ-like textures.
- Dotted-eighth delay for rhythmic energy and subdivision.
That's a powerful toolbox. The next step is using these sounds on real worship songs week after week.
If you want help with the exact parts, tones, and how your guitar fits with the rest of the band, that's exactly what Worship Online is built for.
Take your worship guitar playing further
Inside Worship Online, you'll find step-by-step tutorials for hundreds of worship songs, across multiple instruments -- including detailed electric guitar parts.
With a free trial, you'll get:
- Exact guitar parts as they're played on the albums (Guitar 1, Guitar 2, etc.).
- On-screen tabs and visual walkthroughs, section by section.
- A built-in mixer so you can solo your guitar, hear how it locks with drums and keys, and practice along.
- Tone and effects guidance so you know when to use sounds like the reverse delay, fuzz, ambient reverb, octave, and dotted-eighth delay you learned in this series.
Try it on your next set. If it doesn't save you time and help you sound better, you can cancel anytime.
Inside Worship Online: worship guitar lesson with video, tabs, and mixer controls.