A tap pedal, often called a tap tempo pedal, allows musicians to manually set the tempo or speed of certain effects, such as delay or modulation, by tapping the pedal in time with the music. This feature is particularly useful for live performances, where the tempo of a song may change or the musician needs to sync their effects to the rhythm of the music on the fly.

Tap tempo pedals typically have a footswitch that responds to the musician’s taps, calculating the tempo based on the rhythm. This makes it easier to adjust effects like delay or chorus without needing to manually adjust settings or rely on preset tempos. Many modern delay, reverb, and modulation pedals from brands like Boss, TC Electronic, and Line 6 include a tap tempo feature, enhancing flexibility and control during performances.