Beginner. Live recording and playing with a delay

[broma]

Hi everyone, I'm a beginner who doesn't know anything about audio editing/recording.
I'm just checking out if there is a simple way to play surrounding sounds with a delay (lets say of 1 second) but without the echos that are produced by the delay recording and then playing itself for ever...
I also would like to filter the sound recorded so only the sounds over a certain volume are recorded and then played.
How would I achieve this and what devices/programs would be an easy solution?
Thank you!

[The Elf]

Hi, and welcome!

You don't say what kind of delay you envisage - rack, pedal, plug-in? And what do you mean by 'surrounding sounds'?

And you don't say what instrument you are using this delay with, or how you will be connecting, or recording it. Is this a guitar plugged in directly, or via an amp/mic, or keyboards, or...?

Delays don't repeat forever, unless you set them up to do that. Almost all delay processors have a 'feedback' control that allows you to control for how long the delays will repeat.

You could use a noise gate in front of the delay to ensure that only sounds over a certain volume will reach the delay, but this seems over-complicated and may lead to unnatural-sounding results. I wouldn't advise it.

[Drew Stephenson]

As The Elf says, we could do with a bit more detail. Is this for live use or recording? Experimenting with a noise gate and a single-tap delay with no dry signal mixed in is trivial in a computer-recording environment but potentially much more complex in a live-sound situation.

[broma]

Sorry for not having be clear in my formulation.
My neighbor is very loud (super loud music every nights, constantly screaming alone very loudly for every single little contrariety in his life like being bitten by a mosquito) and there no way to talk with him. So I would like to revert him every loud noise he's emitting.
I just want to have a microphone recording next to my house and play all loud sounds that are coming from his place and play it back with a 1 or 2 seconds delay.
I hope that makes more sense.

[Drew Stephenson]

It makes sense, but I don't think it's going to help I'm afraid. I'm out.

[BWC]

Sorry for not having be clear in my formulation.

Really?!? You had me fooled. I thought this was a legitimate...

audio editing/recording

...question! No, it's the old "noisy neighbor" again.

This comes up every couple / few months, and if you read any of those threads, you'd know:
1. Work it out (I know, you said you can't.)
2. Contact local authorities
3. Move

A bunch of music & audio folks on a forum can't help you with this one, sorry.

[broma]

Sorry for disturbing. I just though I would ask experts for something I don't know about... If I knew it would be disturbing, I would not have asked.
Sorry again, I will do my own research.

[BWC]

I know it's not the answer you want, but I gave you the right answer. ...and I suspect that you did know it would be "disturbing", or you would not have asked in such a deceptive / misleading way. I'd welcome you to ask any legitimate music / audio questions you might have (and be happy to help you, if I can), but I will NOT help you to outdo your neighbor in scumbaggery. Did you consider (or ask) what anyone else in your 'hood might think of your plan?

[broma]

I didn't know it would be disturbing, but I surely didn't want to bother anyone with my private life, so I asked a very neutral question. People then started to ask more details, so I though I would explain the background in order to make the request clearer to understand since I do not have the technical and vocabulary knowledge to make myself understood in that neutral way.
I'm sure you are honest, and if you give me an answer, I'm sure this is YOUR right answer.
From my perspective: "1-work it out", sure I'll do that. So far I think I should look into DJ mixing softwares; "2-Contact local authorities", knowing my neighbor and his mental health issues, they'll intern him and I really don't wish that to anyone especially not my neighbor; "3-Move", not an option.
Knowing my neighbor, I know that he usually has different ways of understanding things than regular people, and so I'm sure reverting him the sound might help him realizing by hearing himself. At least I should give it a try, and there is no mean intentions. I'd just like for myself to be able to sleep again and him not to end up interned.
Thank you anyway for your suggestions, I appreciate you tried.

[BWC]

I didn't know it would be disturbing, but I surely didn't want to bother anyone with my private life, so I asked a very neutral question. People then started to ask more details, so I though I would explain the background in order to make the request clearer to understand since I do not have the technical and vocabulary knowledge to make myself understood in that neutral way.

OK, I'll believe that you didn't intend to deceive. It's very common for people to come here with what they think is a simple question, and not give enough details to answer the complex question that they've actually asked. When asking about a subject you, admittedly, are new to, it's safer to assume that there's more to it than you, currently, realize.

I'm sure you are honest, and if you give me an answer, I'm sure this is YOUR right answer.

No, it's not MY right answer. Again, if you'd read any of the existing threads on this subject you'd know, it's the consensus of this forum that this is the right answer, at least in civilized parts of the world. And it seems this answer needs some further clarification...

From my perspective: "1-work it out", sure I'll do that. So far I think I should look into DJ mixing softwares;

No, by "work it out", I meant, "...with your neighbor, like reasonable people." I added the part in parentheses because I understand that some people can't be reasoned with, at least some of the time. As for what you're thinking of doing, I don't think you'll get anywhere, with or without help. Again, it's not as simple as you're imagining it to be. There are complications with what you're asking for that you haven't yet realized.

"2-Contact local authorities", knowing my neighbor and his mental health issues, they'll intern him and I really don't wish that to anyone especially not my neighbor;

I don't know where you are in the world, or what the mental healthcare situation there is, but if he needs help...

"3-Move", not an option.
Knowing my neighbor, I know that he usually has different ways of understanding things than regular people, and so I'm sure reverting him the sound might help him realizing by hearing himself.

I'm less sure. I don't know your neighbor, but most would see it simply as retaliation, and that's not going to help anyone. If you know your neighbor, and want to help him, I refer you back to option 1.

At least I should give it a try,...

I really don't think you should. I think it would, most likely, only make things worse (and is technically less feasible than you realize). And what about the last point in my previous post? Are there other neighbors? Have you discussed any of this with them? I strongly urge you to explore every other (non-retaliatory) option you, your neighbors, or local authorities can think of. I know you've convinced yourself that your plan is the right one, but it really isn't. Please reconsider.

Thank you anyway for your suggestions, I appreciate you tried.

I think you mean well, and so do I (even though I can be a bit harsh sometimes). It does sound like a difficult situation, and I wish you the very best of luck. But I'd advise caution, as it's all too easy to start a war with even the best of intentions. Thank you for understanding my intentions.