Chorus Effect
Last Edited: Dec 23, 2023
The Chorus Phenomenon
The chorus effect occurs when several sounds with similar pitch and timbre play in unison. This phenomenon occurs naturally with a group of singers or violinists, who will always exhibit slight variations in pitch and timing, even when playing in unison. These subtle variations are crucial for producing the lush and shimmering sound we are accustomed to hearing from large choirs or string sections. The chorus audio effect simulates these pitch and timing variations, making a single instrument source sound like several instruments were playing together.
Chorus Origins
The origin of the chorus effect can be traced back to the 1930s with the use of the Hammond organ instruments. This was the first time one signal was out of tune on purpose, so the physical detuning was created. Later, in the 1960s, some professional recording studios first used the ADT (Automatic Double Tracking) effect. This effect used a copy of a recording, which was slightly delayed and played over the original signal. The first use of this effect and why it became widely popular was in 1966 when The Beatles requested it for their recording in Abbey Road Studios. In the following years, combinations between synthesizers and organs had a similar approach to creating a chorus type of sound. The classic chorus sound that we know today was widely popularized by the appearance of the now-famous Boss-CE 1, which was first presented in the mid-1970s as the first stand-alone chorus pedal. This device left a mark on countless records of that time and continued to be immensely used in the following decades.
Usage
The chorus is a common guitar pedal effect that gives a clean electric guitar a "dreamy" quality. It's also widely used on the acoustic guitar, electric piano, and clavinet. Furthermore, the chorus creates a richer, more complex sound on strings and synth pads. Stereo-chorus effects also can be used to widen a stereo image.
Modern-Day Chorus
Nowadays, we have many chorus effects in analog and digital realms with many variations. The principal controls of modern chorus software effects include parameters such as LFO speed (a.k.a. rate or period) and depth (a.k.a. amplitude or intensity). LFO speeds are usually in the range of natural human vibrato (up to about 10 Hertz). In addition, some plugins include control of the wet/dry mix. At 100% wet, the pitch modulation of a chorus effect sounds like vibrato. The wet/dry mix is often set at 50% of each to blend the modulated audio with the original. The most common variations of chorus effects are:
- Mono, Stereo, or Surround chorus.
- Single and Multi-voice chorus.
- More advanced types of chorus effects with complex LFOs.
Additional Resources & Source Texts
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