The invention relates to a method for controlling an oscillatory system with the aid of at least one measured variable by the detection of at least one oscillation component (Sx(t)) over time (t) in the form of at least one measured variable. According to said method a control variable (δu) for controlling the oscillatory system is determined from the sum of the weighted differences of the delayed oscillation component, which has been delayed at least twice by different delay times (τ1>O, τ2>0) if there is one measured variable and the respective non-delayed oscillation component and if there are several measured variables the sum of the weighted differences of the delayed oscillation components (Si(t−τi)), which have been respectively delayed at least once by a specific delay time (τi>0) and their respective non-delayed oscillation components (Si(t)) according to the relationship δu=a1S1(t) b1S1(t−τ1)+ . . . +anSn(t)−bnSn(t−τn), wherein a1, . . . , an and b1, . . . , bn are weighting factors for the oscillation components S1, . . . , Sn of the measured variables.