A Guide to Strymon Timeline Pedal

The Strymon Timeline pedal is a high-end stereo digital delay designed for guitar and bass. Released by Strymon in 2011, it has become one of the most widely referenced delay pedals in the professional market, offering twelve distinct delay algorithms covering emulations of tape, analogue, digital, reverse, filter, and pitch-shifted delays alongside more experimental models. The unit stores 200 user-editable presets and has comprehensive MIDI capability for live and studio integration.

Delay Algorithms

Each algorithm processes the delay signal differently, producing a distinct character. The Tape algorithm emulates vintage tape echo machines with analogue frequency rolloff, subtle pitch wobble and the characteristic saturation of magnetic recording. The Analogue algorithm reproduces bucket-brigade device (BBD) circuits with their characteristic warmth and frequency degradation over repeat cycles. The Digital algorithm produces clean, high-fidelity repeats with no colouration — accurate reproduction of the dry signal with controlled decay. Beyond these three foundational modes, further algorithms cover filter delay (frequency-modulated repeats), reverse (backwards repeats), ice (pitch-shifted octave effects), pattern (rhythmically gated repeats), dual (two independent delay lines), multi-tap, lo-fi, volterra (harmonic content simulation) and dBucket variants.

Controls and Interface

The main panel provides Time, Repeats, Mix and Filter controls along with an A/B switch for two independent settings per preset. The delay time can be set by tap tempo, by the rotary knob or via MIDI clock. Individual algorithm parameters are accessed via a series of parameter knobs whose function changes with the selected mode. The full-colour TFT screen displays the algorithm name, BPM, delay time in milliseconds and parameter values, giving precise visual feedback that other delay pedals often lack. Preset recall is immediate with no switching artefacts, which is essential for live performance use.

MIDI Integration

The MIDI input and output allow external sequencers, controllers and switchers to control preset changes, tempo sync and individual parameter values in real time. Expression pedal input enables continuous control of any assignable parameter — tempo, mix, filter frequency and others. This integration depth makes the unit suitable for complex live rigs where multiple parameters need to change simultaneously with a single footswitch action.

Stereo Architecture

The stereo input and output configuration supports parallel stereo delay setups, ping-pong delay and dual-path routing where the two sides of the stereo field can carry different delay lines. For recording applications, running the stereo output into two channels of an audio interface or mixer produces spatial depth effects that mono delay cannot replicate. In mono rigs, a single input-to-output connection works without issue, though some of the spatial algorithms are less effective in that configuration. See the buyer's guide for purchasing guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions