In a Nutshell – Chorus

The world of effects is a vast and complex one, a world that remains a mystery to many but that we guitarists must master if we are to find our own sound. From wah to reverb, from flange to delay... the possibilities are endless, and this complexity is compounded with each additional link in the chain. Effects are available in many guises today, with rack-mounted devices and software on our computers; however, we will concentrate on good old fashioned pedals.

This month we'll take a look at Chorus, another staple effect for the guitarist, and well worth its position on your pedalboard. One of the most popular effects of all time for guitar... a 'must have'.

The Science
A Chorus sound happens when several notes of the same timbre but slightly different pitches are played together and perceived as one. Often added to acoustic guitar sounds or clean electric signals, when executed correctly none of the notes seem out of tune but a shimmering 'spacey' quality is added which could not exist without it. If added to an overdriven electric guitar sound, everything gets a bit messy – not for the faint-hearted. A pedal based processor achieves the effect by taking an audio signal and mixing it with one or more delayed, pitch-modulated copies of itself. The pitch of the added voices is typically modulated by a low frequency oscillator, which makes the overall effect similar to a flanger with longer delays and without feedback – as discussed in the flanger article some months ago. Chorus is a subtler version of Flange, just as a flanger gives a more pronounced Chorus.

In Use
Many artists use chorus to add body to a guitar sound – John Frusciante (formerly) of the Red Hot Chili Peppers uses it to fill out his clean sound, David Gilmour uses it to add an other-worldly 'spacey' quality to his. As mentioned in the opener to this article, chorus is one of the most popular and widely used effects in guitar particularly in single guitarist situations be they stage or bedroom. Chorus will add a depth and richness to a clean (ish) guitar signal that helps it stand against often stronger instruments.

Products
As ever there are almost as many chorus pedals out there as there are customers to buy them. All the major vendors have a chorus pedal in their range and most boutique manufacturers have their own slant on an established classic. I've owned a few over the years, and here are my recommendations – one reasonably priced and one.... er.... not so much so:
The Boss CE-5 is a good all 'round pedal. Controls are basic and limited to level, rate, depth and filter and it has a stereo output to drive 2 amps or for a studio setup. The range on the controls is impressive at the price point and allows for a subtle chorus all the way to a depth more associated with a flanger. Retailing at £69.99 or $79.99, major retailers often find themselves sold out. As ever the metal housing and BOSS standard bomb-proof construction make this a good choice. Similarly the CH-1 Super Chorus is very similar and also recommended if the CE-5 is unavailable.

The T.C Electronics SCF Stereo Chorus/Pitch Modulator/Flanger is my current weapon of choice in this effects section and has long been the pedal the pros use – I purchased mine after hearing Eric Johnson uses one. The pedal has true bypass and I cannot hear any noise from it at all when not in use. In terms of Chorus the tone is very similar to the BOSS in many ways, but cleaner and a little less uniform – it feels more organic, a nicer subtle voicing to my ear. The price difference is huge though – this pedal retails at £279.99 or $300. It is an excellent product as are all T.C offerings and I recommend trying one if you can.