latency

Latency is a small delay between playing a note and hearing the processed signal, a byproduct of digital processing in effects such as pitch shifters and octave pedals¹². It matters most in tracking-based effects, where reviewers describe pedals as having zero latency, ultra-low latency, or barely perceptible latency when notes are played cleanly³⁴⁵. Latency can also affect the dry signal if it is processed digitally, which is why some designs keep the dry path fully analog and outside AD/DA conversion²⁶.