The paper introduces a new concept for composing the input shapers by combining lumped and distributed delays. Particularly, an analytical method is proposed to parametrize zero vibration shapers with delays of various distribution. Involving these delays in the shaper structure, the accommodation part of the shaped response can be smoothened in a predefined manner, retarded spectral properties can be achieved and the response length can be optionally adjusted within the given range. Next, following the analytical developments, a numerical algorithm based on the constrained linear least squares optimization is proposed for direct design of robust distributed delay shapers. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.