The Ultimate Rack Chorus!?! Roland Dimension D

[@tomquayleguitar]

The track and playing on this are just sublime!!!

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Thank you TOM! 😀

[@karlsalocks]

There he is! You aren't too shabby either my man

[@SRV4me]

Agreed

[@SRV4me]

Love it, brotha! That Lukather thing sneaking out

[@LeonTodd]

Clicked for the Dim D, stayed for the 1210. Glorious Chorii!

[@ianfurqueron5850]

Honestly, I've avoided the Gear Page forums... Between you, Leon and Pete Thorn, I already buy more gear than I really need (or have room for).

[@marko6831]

The Dual setting in the Boss pedal was OUTSTANDING. Totally blew the rest away.

[@coalfacechris1336]

100%

[@fmaraldo2829]

Yeah what settings was he using?

[@bonerhed]

Cool video. The thing about the Dimension D is that it's so subtle. If you play it after playing a 1210 or a Tri is like nothing is happening. I'm a bit of a chorus freak/collector. I have the Fulltone Terc, a 1210 and the Klark BBD-320. Use them for different things. Also in pedals have an old Dimension C and the Waza version, The Inspire, Free the Tone Tri-Avatar, Shiva Lil'Wave and a few others. FYI the Roland RPS-550, the SDX-330 and the SE-70 do Dimension D presets. Thanks for the video.

[@johnou9001]

the RSP550 is a huge sleeper unit.

[@dougfa3515]

If it's good enough for Steve Stevens, it's good enough for me! In fact, the question is really am I good enough for it?!

[@lukecoverdale1]

We need a new studio tour, looks beautiful

[@jamesalfano5740]

My friend had a Dimension -D in a pink pedal version back in the 80's. Adjustable rate & width, effect level, 4 knobs all together. Used it on violin. Sounded absolutely amazing !

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Whoa! Sounds awesome

[@bonerhed]

I believe that one is called the Digital Dimension.

[@SimonHosford]

Greetings from Down Under Michael. Great video as always! Nothing sounds as good and lush and wide in my opinion, as the rack unit. Really juicy lol. I've actually wanted one in my home studio for years, after I saw what Chris Lord Alge does with his. And I think your video just sealed the deal lol. And btw.. lovely to hear a bit of Giant slipped in there fella! Love your work. (You probably haven't seen it.. but I'm the dude down in Australia who played the VH 1 album in track order a few years back). Hope all is well with you sir. S 🤘

[@parisblue1]

The Rocktron/RSP Intelliverb rack unit with it's 8 voice chorus was pretty spectacular too!

[@pfrisch6030]

The Dimension D just sounds... right. Especially when you were playing those single note clean lines ala' Luke and Paul Jackson. The difference is really noticeable with headphones.

[@Twobarpsi]

Yeah I'm using headphones too. D sounds great! MD too harsh.

[@lukather1]

Luke used the tc1210

[@pfrisch6030]

@@lukather1 Yep in his 88 rig, he used a cs-5 and a modulation pro during his career. I'd bet there are tracks of him out there using a Dimension D. It's just too common a product especially in that 1979-1982 range. Landau sure did and those rigs were much earlier.

[@scottkuster5552]

Love the 1210 the most, also liked the hint of Dann Huff you played. See You In My Dreams!

[@lukather1]

Try the TC icon 1210 $100 plugi in sounds 95% ! Brilliant

[@cliftonwright7081]

Killer track and tone, mang. I’ve been using an 80s dimension D on my board and it’s gloriously swirly and warm. That 1210 is pretty tough to beat but I like the subtlety, width and response of the OG dimension the most.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Thanks bud! I think I agree. The D is the widest, but/and the most subtle. I don’t like hearing flange swirling around. I just want the wide shimmer with no beyowowowow sound

[@rikshredder]

LOVE my Inspire pedal. Great tri-chorus reproduction.

[@shckltnebay]

Great demo and playing. After years of trying modern chorus pedals Im 100% happy with the Neunaber Inspire

[@jimmybiter2936]

Dimension "D" for Damn thats a big unit Great vid Michael 🤘

[@kylekarich]

Those Tylers are amazing. Love the finish over shmear haha, it sounded great. I have a Studio Elite in progress right now, so hyped.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Hi Kyle, I have one in progress too. Can't wait!

[@robertritzenthaler3775]

Your videos are perfect. Never stop with this awesome content!

[@vanessajazp6341]

Really nice groove. Love how you built that out into a really ice cool melodic groove.

[@markinthemix6055]

FREE THE TONE MAKES A CHORUS I WISH YOU COULD HAVE HAD AVAILABLE. Blessings to you

[@Sodacake]

Great playing as always. I need that Tyler guitar with the mini humbucker in the neck.

[@fernandes5986]

Great video and superb chorus. It was used among others by Kate Bush. I would like to see a shootout between the Dimension D, Dyno my Piano tri-chorus and the TC 2290.

[@fernandes5986]

After listening to the video I prefer the Neunaber, above the others.

[@lukather1]

1210 is best

[@pb3662]

I really like the warm sound of the dimension d. The C and the plugins sound like there is an extra layer of sheen / top end. Hard to isolate just where it is with KZbin audio compression but they have more sparkle and honestly I think I link the original more. Maybe its the old electronics and it lost some top but it seems to sit better in the mix.

[@rabbleinarms5742]

TC 1210 is always the fave. just so damn lush

[@SteveOuimette]

I'd say the Dimension C is very, very close to my ears. At least on this video. Perhaps the D is a bit wider? The Overloud is pretty damn good too! Quite a large box to do that one (or 4) sounds, but it's a classic, no doubt about it. And as always, killer playing Michael!

[@aleksamrkela831]

I love that little demo track you put together! So groovy and danceable. :D

[@stevegarry9868]

Nice review as always and so simple to use! Thank you for sharing the demo! It’s unfortunate that you are posting in that new gear forum for the ‘Ask Me Anything’., I joined a few days ago then left as it seems to be made up of mostly TGP banned rejects 😂.

[@theironguitars]

I think I’ve read somewhere Steve Stevens used a Rockman stereo chorus along with a Rockman Sustainor for Flesh For Fantasy. Btw very cool video as usual ! Cheers.

[@schnurzel4258]

I read he used Dimension D - Knob: Type 3 , but not really sure (for Chorus)

[@antiv]

Dimension D was always the ‘secret weapon’

[@Robert-Peterson]

I love my Dimension C DC-2W pedal and that thick sound it makes. My personal setting for the pedal is having both 3 and 4 turned on. I guess that's "maxed out"? On my pedal board the sequence of effects is that I'm feeding my Dimension C pedal with a Boss Super Chorus CH-1...with the CH-1 having a slow but wide sweep. Combine those two pedals with those settings and my goodness...the 1980s await.

[@ukaeyfvkfiayuvefyiu]

I was excited to see this when it popped up. The first video of yours that I watched was that huge chorus shoot out. I ended up getting an H9.

[@free_electron]

That boss md-500 blew my mind. Literally hanging with the best of the best. This might as well be an MD-500 sales pitch! (no pun intended)

[@guitarz]

the playing and demo of this lovely machine are superb and those JT guitars only add to the sauce

[@johndeschain2156]

The MD 500 sounds really really good, damned you Michael! BTW I have the MicroPitch and it's killer, but different than the D

[@kalebaldwin5398]

If you hear any subtle, wide chorusing on any recording from the 80s, chances are it’s a Dimension D. And it was used on just about every instrument.

[@jaycareaga9929]

Or the Dytronics Tri stereo chorus.

[@pcbullets8726]

Definitely a unique sounding unit, even if it's a little subtle compared to the others you demoed. Thanks for sharing Mike!

[@rocketsauce5067]

That pedal at the end sounded great.

[@jasonstone1046]

Very cool.. pretty happy with my duo of H9's for copping that 80's feel.

[@benjaminmurphy3260]

It’s crazy how noticeable the differences are over even just iPhone speakers.

[@jeddak]

I love the Dimension D and I think it is so much better than any other chorus because there's no pitchiness. The reason is because it's basically two mono choruses exactly 180 degrees out of phase and panned hard left and hard right. So it gives you space and motion without making you sound annoyingly out of tune all the time.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

All you need is the Boss Waza DC-2W, combined with the Eventide Micropitch or Red Seven / Shiva "Little Wave" - I am a Chorus fanatic. This sounded great though. I love that 80's rack chorus sound. Enjoyed it. oNe LovE from NYC

[@svarthelikoptern]

I have both the micropitch pedal and the boss dimension C. Although I love the late 80's Van Halen micropitched tone, I prefer the Dimension C as it has more character. Love the song btw

[@musicmax7]

Thank you so much for your videos! love it!

[@BigHairyGuitars]

☺️you’re welcome. Thanks!

[@tonefordays3808]

The compander is featured in the DC-2W as well. That's what's keeping the noise floor so low. Same thing for the TC SCF.

[@BaconFire]

When you said "Now thats 80s approved" in this video (at the 11:12 mark)... THAT would be the setup I would use.

[@tinkercitymusic]

Tasty playing and that track man! Whoo!

[@christopherwoods6]

Subbed to Leon’s page, thanks! Awesome content!👍🏻👍🏻

[@jayboy6895]

Omg. That’s more overtime on the cards now 😂 I need a studio elite in my life. I don’t think you can beat the Eventide setup. Tri plus de tune. Dammm you nailed the Huff tone for a moment there maestro. Thoroughly enjoyed this episode Michael. Yes I will join your forum for sure. Good health sir and I think you should do studio invites for Huff Stevens Luke Landau etc. What a show that would be

[@Benjammin117]

I'm gettin' a Waza for sure. Thanks Mike :)

[@a.j.fontana]

I bought a Keeley 30ms for this sound before Boss released the Waza Dimension C. It has a dimension setting that I really like. Like other Keeley pedals it has internal dip switches to change the operation of the pedal. I recently switched it to Double Tracking Pro Mode which lets you control the tuning of the two separate voicings independently. Still need to try the Waza DC-2 someday but I love the Keeley pedal.

[@kalebaldwin5398]

Boss is just the guitar effects division/sub brand of Roland. Check the label on any Boss pedal, it’ll say “Roland Corporation” on it.

[@smokestackstudiosgem]

Just get the Eventide micropitch delay pedal.. I can’t live without mine especially in a w/d/w setup combined with an OG MIJ Arion Stereo Chorus pedal. Killer tones.🤘🎸

[@frankgeick3641]

Thanks for this history lesson. I've been playing with a Waza DC-2w, mainly because it easily nails the Nile Rogers tone. Didn't know about the TC 1210 which sounds great, and have been tempted to buy the Eventide MicroPitch. This video helped me understand what I wanted. IMHO, I don't like heavy reverb in this effect

[@Twobarpsi]

Analog sounds so much warmer. MD500 hurts my ears compared to Dimension or Waza.

[@phildem414]

BOSS is brand of Rolland, as Ibanez is of Hochino Gaki This rack is sush a swimming pool for clean tones! Isn't it a favourite of Steve Steven's? 🤔

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Yeah. He says that now he gets a perfect Dimension D tone from his Eventide. I’d love to know how.

[@johannherveux1490]

​@@BigHairyGuitars Italo de Angelis might have your answer, he is one of the tweak god of Eventide h3000.

[@Rockandrollaz-d8l]

Awesome.

[@Andyanddiana467]

Funny, but in the examples you performed, I actually preferred the Waza Craft pedal to everything else. The MD500 sounded fake and artificial.

[@chasebeavers]

Same here. Didn’t care for the md500.

[@Twobarpsi]

Funny...I didn't like the MD either. Analog is a lot warmer!

[@topiwiio8017]

I think My favourite is still rocktron octopus chorus. It has eight delay lines, so it is much bigger than any of these. 👍

[@BigHairyGuitars]

The Intellifex does sound big!

[@toom6087]

I use another way to setup the stereo chorus : the Radial JX44 V2 has a stereo insert in front of the amps. Perfect with 2 heads, in case you don't use the preamp/poweramp combo.

[@Yupppi]

The most surprised about this I was when the lights just kept staying on and it looked like you didn't have the power cable attached. At best when I see them light up in some unit, the caps empty in a flash. I couldn't tell the waza and original apart. The MD was "too lush" if you can blame a chorus for that, but it was clearly noticeable in my opinion. But I recall this unit is liked because it's subtle. In the original I could perhaps tell apart just barely maybe 3 modes and just barely because I was tuned to differentiate them. I recall there was something wonky about the multiple buttons mode as well, like as long as there was more than one button pressed down, it was the same thing no matter which or how many. It's been possibly a year or more since I bought my last piece of guitar gear but you made me sort of desire the waza dimension.

[@guitaristshawn]

Stevie Ray Vaughan used a Roland Dimension D on his first album "Texas Flood"

[@BigHairyGuitars]

REALLY! Wow, it was everywhere

[@donsmith5385]

Prince used that unit on “Purple Rain” the song

[@markholmes2665]

Tc all the way!

[@jaycareaga9929]

Snuck in a bit of Giants I’ll See You In My Dreams.

[@ttestates1]

Personally, I've owned 4 TC1210's and every other chorus. The 1210 is by far the best thing I've ever heard ever! Wish I never sold my last one

[@BigHairyGuitars]

They’re great. Probably my favorite as well. 1210 is the least modulate-y, and least chorus-y of the big chorus boxes. It’s a rich wide sparkle fat tone. My 1210 needs some work, but I can’t find anyone to look at it

[@alwyatt1339]

The Red Seven Lil’ Wave is an awesome tristereo chorus pedal. Nails the dyno my piano tri chorus sound

[@lukather1]

Brilliant pedal rack even better but expensive

[@ae3062]

Awesome tones, loving the Tylers! It was, a let down that all the buttons sounded the same, definitely not like that, on the Dim C or the Behringer CC300, don't laugh the Behringer sounds awesome.

[@steveg219]

They all sound great. I had a DD since the 80s and it is great. I think the move today is to use whatever combo of those affects you like but do it in parallel and dial it down a bit. That is, the 80s chorus/Micro pitch perfect is great, just needs to be mixed with a little more dry to sound modern and more clear

[@lukather1]

So micro pitch and chorus in parallel and then direct dry mix ? I’m on a wdw system but usually pitch into 1210 or tri ? Mixing dry witb combined pitch and chorus Which is right for 80s sound ?

[@steveg219]

@@lukather1 that’s the idea. Use the classic chorus and pitch shifting sounds but mixed in parallel and at a little bit lower level

[@chandlerclement1365]

So rad. Excited about the AMA. Also, did you get new studio monitors for your desk?

[@jaakkokunnas]

MXR micro chorus is one seriously underrated pedal. I'd like to hear you test that one, too. It adds volume when engaged, which is a bummer, since it sounds especially good in front of an amp slightly breaking up.

[@davidgray8796]

Always like it when you throw out some Giant love!

[@mrfuzztone]

Nice playing and sounds. Would like a comparison to the Keeley 30 ms double tracker I see that you don't have a UA OX. Is that out of favor? Arturia also has a Dimension D plugin - Chorus Dimension-D

[@RJRonquillo]

Where'd all those Tylers come from?!

[@BigHairyGuitars]

Hi RJ, both were on loan from my friend Flint. He has the dopest LA guitars collection. I’ve got a Tyler in build process, and was feeling them out for how to spec mine.

[@InstruMentalCase]

Epic shootout! I definitely concur with ditching the 500 in favor of the newish MicroPitch Delay. The Overloud sounded just about dead on. Makes me regret buying the KT 3rd Dimension unit, as it's a bit lacking by comparison.

[@fmaraldo2829]

I agree, the DM-500 let me down on the dimension settings, it’s very bright and thin, harsh even, but some of the other algorithms like the CE and Prime are amazing! The overtone with detune and the flanger work really well too. Can you tell us what your dual chorus setting was on that MD500? Because that was one of the best sounds!

[@nikopappas8484]

today I found out I never need a tc1210. I had always seen this lauded as the end-all-be-all of spatial expanders, but the DC-2/Dim D just straight up sound better.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

To me the thing that is SO special about the Dimension is that the sound is wide and rich, but doesn't swirl and flange. I really love that.

[@plexidust5101]

Now I want to see whats in the box ;-)

[@joecobain88]

For me, it was the detune setting on the md500 for a long time. Now that I’m using my fractal for time based effects I use that. The tc electronic brainwaves might be cool too but I’ve never tried it

[@m0j0b0ne]

Why not get TC's SCF+ Gold for your subtle analog pitch chorus pleasure? I thought the Dimension and the Waza held up great; DD500 lost focus, got mushy-the opposite of what you'd expect from a digital box, or maybe they just overshot the mark of sounding "analog"?

[@guitardave]

The TC 1210 had the biggest and most 80’s sound for me. Dimension D was a bit of a let down in terms of all 4 buttons sounded the same?! For a simple to use and great sounding pedal chorus, I have the Boss Waza CE-2, which sounds great in either that mode or the CE-1 mode. Well worth checking out.

[@rogerdat7807]

Fulltone TERC. Grab one while you can.

[@zeusapollo8688]

That thing was on everything

[@chrismello1915]

Love when you throw some Dan Huff in there!

[@lukather1]

1210 all day ! ❤️

[@icarusi]

The sound of the Dimension D circuit in bypass, seems to be part of the overall sound. Have you tried feeding your other emulators through the Dimension D in bypass (or that setting through the emulators), just to get that eq profile over their sounds?

[@NoRivalRecords]

Dimension d all the way now I just gotta find money

[@aquilarossa5191]

The AMA question I want to know is about fuzz, but I can't be effed signing up for a forum just yet sorry. I want to know how much Jimmy Page had his fuzz switched on. I suspect he used it a lot kind of like Eric Johnson does. Fuzz on a lot of the time and using the guitar volume to get the nice, rich cleaner tones. Most 'how to get Page tone' advice says to just use a crunchy Plexi tone and does not really mention the fuzz. The film It Might Get Loud made me question that though. He kicked the fuzz on and there was that sound. It was not super thick and sludgy like fuzz can get. I suppose I just have to choose a MKII and try it (same gear rarely equates to same tone for me though). P.S. I recently found out Jimmy Page is my cousin in law. I have never actually met my cousin overseas who married his cousin though, so I can not cheekily leverage the family connection to AMA Jimmy himself. Would be cool if I could though. Turn up at his place and say "hey cuz, can I play your Les Paul?" and then ask a million guitar and music questions and try to get him to teach me everything he knows (she contacted me when my Dad recently passed. I said "cool surname" and she said she married Jimmy's cousin and he is in her husband's family photo albums etc).

[@nickh1933]

Michael, how does the Waza pedal compare to the Eventide H9 H3000 with the setting at +9/-9 ? I am wondering if it is redundant to buy the waza if I already have the H9.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

The Waze does the Dimension D replica. The Micropitch in the Eventide can be had with an H9. H9 + Waze DimC is a killlllller combination

[@eduardwilliams1245]

Close! But no cigar. The original equals instant album tone.

[@BigHairyGuitars]

It does. Great unit. I wish it was 1u and $250

[@SSStinger6]

the MD-500 seemed to have some sort of Phase thing going on too?

[@acameau]

Like it

[@PedigreeGuitars]

Dimension d seems to be out of phase in bypass mode. Maybe similar to the h3000

[@lovecraftmusic8717]

Always thought the Dimension D was a light chorus, but here I can't hear any chorus at all; something wrong with this unit maybe? Anyway, the Md500 with pitch shifting was the best tone overall: lush and complex texture...the 1210 in comparison is too weird and undefined.

[@whistlemusic8572]

Where does the signal go after the chorus unit? Straight to your converters? Or are you using a mic on a cab? Do you come out of your attenuator at line level (active load) ?

[@chriskrueger1865]

Very well done, may I ask your opinion of a couple of the most affordable tri-chorus pedals? Thank you

[@kjetilalexandersaltnes8643]

So what about the Eventide TriceraChorus, WITH detune..???

[@BigMateo24]

I have one, it's pretty rad. It also has a swirl setting that gets kind of flanger-y sounding. But even without that, it sounds like Hagar era Van Halen tones to me.

[@ToneHound126]

Great tone. Have the Waza. Hard to hear the trails when you use the tremolo arm.

[@joeywilder9708]

I am the walrus.

[@mdl12321]

Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov!

[@divebomb99]

I am willing to bet you and Dave F. have the same hair stylist. 😀

[@UberDistortion]

Prefer Boss MD-500 for dual EFX simultaneously, but Dimension D had strongest stereo wide in my headphones on 😎👍

[@RossMehlhop]

I thought the Dimension D was analog, not digital ?