How David Gilmour dialed in the TC 2290 for 'Sorrow' and 'Learning to Fly' on the 'Momentary Lapse' tour

For the big swirling echoes on “Sorrow,” Gilmour set the TC 2290 to a long delay time of about 380–400 ms with two or three modulated taps. The modulation depth was cranked to around 40–50% with a slow LFO rate, which made each repeat pitch‑waver independently, creating that thick, watery wash that filled the arenas. He didn’t sync to MIDI clock — he used manual tap‑tempo, hitting the footswitch at the start of the song to lock the slap into the groove.

“Learning to Fly” used a shorter, tighter delay — roughly 250 ms with a single modulated tap and the depth backed off to about 25%. Gilmour wanted the echoes to flutter just enough to add dimension without clouding the vocal melody. He always tapped those in by ear on stage, relying on muscle memory rather than a sequencer, because the song’s tempo drifted slightly from night to night.