self-oscillation

Self-oscillation is a condition in which a delay or effects pedal's repeats regenerate and build on themselves, producing runaway, sustained sounds rather than decaying echoes¹². It typically occurs at maximum feedback or repeats settings, as when maxing the repeats control yields runaway delay strings¹, or extreme feedback settings produce wild, noisy oscillation². Sources describe it as a feature of analog delays and fuzzes, ranging from usable extreme tones to out-of-control chaos³⁴. Some pedals are voiced to stay musical even while sitting on the edge of self-oscillation⁵.