Is Chorus Evil?

[ROblows]

Is chorus, as an effect, evil or is it a gift from God? I personally submit that the use of chorus pedals should be banned. I mean, come on, it's not 1986 here. Let's all move on and forward. How about some nice tremolo or a touch of reverb tasefully applied? Is there any sound in the world worse than an acoustic guitar with a cheap piezo pickup recorded direct? Yes, there is one sound worse - an acoustic guitar with a cheap piezo pickup recorded direct together with a generous helping of chorus.

[ez_willis]

I'm completely indifferent, so I couldn't really vote for either.

[sweetnubs]

it is evil. absolute concentrated evil. (not good evil, I like evil that is good) flange is also evil.

[Clit Torres]

Originally Posted by ROblows

Is there any sound in the world worse than an acoustic guitar with a cheap piezo pickup recorded direct? Yes, there is one sound worse - an acoustic guitar with a cheap piezo pickup recorded direct together with a generous helping of chorus.

Well said, I find this very sound nauseating. I also hate it when people do this live, which I've heard all too often.

I vote evil, but to each his own I suppose.

[Chris Shaeffer]

My personal favorite use for chorus is to add a thick chorus to an acoustic guitar, send it to a long hall reverb, and put chorus on that, too.

More seriously, chorus is really cool when used in moderation. I tend to think of it more as a send effect than an insert, or at least an insert with a low mix value. The chorused reverb thing (with short or gated reverbs) is actually kinda cool-funky-weird on certain vocal lines. A subtle chorus also pops a melodic bass solo right to the front of a mix...

Its not evil, its just used as a WMD way too often.

-C

[Kevin Deschwazi]

I agree about chorus although I have to stick up for flange as John Squire used it copiously on the first Stone Roses album.

[earworm]

i never had good results with chorus,
put it on guitar, vocals, hihats, nope, doesn't work for me

but didn't nirvana have great results with it?

[daav]

Some chorus on bass for a fat, spongy sound with distorted rock'n'roll guitar often sounds pretty good to me, especially with "power trio" setup where the bass can drive the tune.

Daav

[mandocaster]

This is embarassing, but I like an almost inaudible splash of chorus on some voices

[David Katauskas]

Chorus is evil in most of my applications. If it is used, then it is usually at its minimal settings. However, if you need it as an effect, then use it...maybe for a few seconds on an entire album.

[Phyl]

I've noticed that rhythm guitarists in rock cover bands tend to use a lot of chorus.

It always sounds like ass.

[LemonTree]

Originally Posted by Kevin DeSchwazi

I agree about chorus although I have to stick up for flange as John Squire used it copiously on the first Stone Roses album.

He used a Phaser

[metalhead28]

I like a small amount of chorus on a clean electric sometimes.....

[Kevin Deschwazi]

Originally Posted by LemonTree

He used a Phaser

Did he?

He also used a Boss BF-2 flanger (earlier) and (later) an EH electric mistress flanger so ner.

I never heard of him using a phaser at all tbh but of course that's not to say he didn't.

[amt7565]

Adding Chorus to your guitar is like adding salt to our scrambled eggs.

[EddieRay]

I always liked it on the Police tunes. And I always liked the Ibanez Chorus stompbox on my nylon string guitar. But I've tried recording with it recently and discovered it introduces too much noise into the signal. Now I prefer to double track nylon string guitar.

[mr.rich]

just like any effect id say it can have a spot. its wheh people start layering the holy hell out of it on every source it turns into a huge cheesy mess.

[Halion]

Thanks mate, now I need 2 MORE years of therapy.

[andydeedpoll]

hhmm.... i think it "that effect is evil" can be said about any effect, anywhere, on anything, if its used badly. adding chorus, to me, is just adding an effect, and as long as it works, it sounds nice.

i quite like adding a touch after a distortion box. gives it that extra swirl, and stops it sounding quite as angry... if that makes Any sense at all

Andy.

[Supercreep]

Tastefully applied, it's cool. I dig the eighties jangly guitar sound a la Police or Rush circa GUP.

In the wrong hands it's a dangerous weapon. Hell, in the wrong hands a guitar is a dangerous weapon.

[Be Loveless]

Well I personally have no use for it. Chorus is usually used with too heavy a hand but can add a nice texture when used subtlely. To further illustrate my opinion..............

Roland Jazz Chorus 77. Smaller version of Jc-120. high and low input. volume, high treble, treble, middle, bass, reverb, TRUE STEREO CHORUS, 80 watts (40 watts per speaker STEREO!!)2x10" speakers, distortion effect, Stereo or mono line out, footwitch jacks for reverb distortion and chorus. Great amp for traditional country, jazz or running a guitar synth or digital effects through. SOLID STATE, durable, reliable. $350.00 or will trade for an Ampeg B100R or an Ampeg VT series combo. Local pickup in Baltimore only.
email or PM me
Benjie
Benjamin_loveless1@hotmail.com

Only posted this here because I thought it might be pertinent to the discussion.

[olfunk]

just so long as it aint on bass, i dont mind

[amt7565]

Didn't the Guitar maestro himself - VanHalen- use a generous supply of Chorus? It polishes up those rough edges nicely.

[lbanks]

I use a Bass chorus, a Phaser and a Moog MuRF-105 on bass... big fun!

[Cloneboy Studio]

Used sparingly chorus is an excellent tool for introducing subtle motion and tonal shading in the right contexts. I use it *FREQUENTLY* but in a way that you can't tell there is chorus going on... it's that extra 2% richness on a sound that I want to be more spacious, fatter or more predominant in a mix.

I *LOVE* using chorus on analog synths. I rarely record my Prophet 5 without first going thru a Roland CE300 rack chorus.