Is Chorus Totally Rubbish Or Do We Love It Really?

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In this episode, Daniel and Mick reappraise the not-so humble chorus pedal and what it can do for you. They also touch on flangers (missus).
Is it horribly out of fashion, or is it a staple that must be on every board? Where should it sit on your board? What happens when you add overdrive? Daniel and Mick bounce between the walls of the questions with the help of…
• Original Boss Chrous Ensemble
• Boss CE-2 (Keeley-modded)
• Electro Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger
• VFE Choral Reef
Dan is playing his Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster, Mick is playing a Collings CL Deluxe. The amps are a Two-Rock Studio Pro 35 with 1x12 Custom Zilla cab (Celestion G12H-75 Creamback) and Marshall JTM45 through a Marshall 2061X 2x12 cab (Celestion G12H-30 Anniversary speakers).
As always, TheGigRig G2 is controlling all the effects and amp routing and switching effortlessly.
Enjoy all this wobbling and shifting!
For more on TheGigRig see www.thegigrig.com

[@McGuire40695]

I must be crazy since Chorus is my absolute favorite FX pedal of all time.

[@grimlyfiendish7474]

Ya ain’t alone brother!

[@BerndThomasSchuller]

F*ck it, I'll admit it, I love chorus!

[@markemma5]

I discovered you two about a month ago and I’ve been bingeing ever since. So informative and interesting, and when you crack each other up it’s just fantastic. Best info on pedals on the www.

[@makkietakkie]

Chorus has been one of my main effects ever since I started getting into the electric guitar. Love the lush sound it has to it, perfect for tunes like The Smiths.

[@benspicer7470]

Johnny Marr sure made chorus sound cool. Love The Smiths!

[@TheJeffcurran]

I had a CE1 back in 1983. You cannot imagine how great it sounded with a BC Rich Bich doubleneck played through it using the 12 string neck. It was a million miles wide and deep.

[@ITheFight]

just ordered my CE1! wow what a great demo. this is probably the most honest channel out for gear.

[@nazmoking3171]

I appreciate this channel and how you guys examine the different characteristics of the various pedal types and how they can be manipulated! Gives us great usable ideas.

[@philiphopper4885]

You guys make it easy to be a kid again when playing music. Love your joy for music and love this channel! Please don't stop.

[@sonic7184]

Does anybody else think Chorus sounds watery? In my head Chorus flows like a river. Just like delay bounces like raindrops on the ground. Or maybe I'm crazy :P

[@iandoesallthethings]

Maybe you're a synethete.

[@sonic7184]

Ian Edwards I looked up the definition of Synethete and I don't think I am.

[@TannerGr8rix]

Sterotypical chorus always makes me think of water because a chorus effect was used for the theme music to a water level in Super Mario 64. I can't even shake that sound memory!

[@sonic7184]

Tanner Greatrix Music Super Mario 64 is one of my favourite games of all time.

[@AslanW]

Same here.. But that's probably because of Nirvana's "Nevermind" album cover and the fact that "Come as you are" was pretty much the first record I heard with a riff with a lot of chorus

[@joecritch]

These guys are big fans of the 'knowing look' and generally love a bit of eye contact.

[@sealteam608]

Lol I noticed that too... I left a comment then scolded down and seen yours... funny observation

[@70mcnevin]

Nice when two people know what they're talking about. It's rare. Most times in life it's one half knowing idiot, and the idiot who believes him.

[@mojoteq]

Giggity

[@MusicMan642]

Alex Lifeson uses a chorus live to make the guitar sound thicker to cover the multi tracked studio trickery. However the 80s killed it for me.

[@jaydnturley1948]

He used them a ton in the studio too. Flanger/chorus tones make up a lot of his sound!

[@michael_caz_nyc]

I Love Alex Lifeson. He is an Amazing Guitarist. One of my Idols.

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

I love chorus, can't help it, I just think it is awesome. Loads of top guys use chorus, Lifeson, Zakk, Timmons, the list goes on and on.

[@daveriff5792]

That middle, bridge section before Lifeson's ride in "The Trees" (Hemispheres) is pure magic because of the chorus... takes me right off of this earth! Just as one example of quality chorusing.

[@daveriff5792]

I agree! Then again, unlike most these days, you obviously have no attitude on 80's music. One must be open-minded in order to truly enjoy something!

[@PhilHeesen]

I have been looking at a lot of chorus pedals online recently so this episode came at a great time! Definitely want a CE-2.

[@phawinp]

you forgot to stack them all !!!!

[@ryancoveyduc9160]

Giant steps are what you take ... when you take in a master class of knowledge from Daniel and Nick. Great work again guys!

[@BEFEGE]

The chorus is awesome with The Smiths songs.

[@makkietakkie]

+BEFEGE I second this.

[@robcerasuolo9207]

Headmaster Ritual! @v@

[@mykelc205]

Gospel.

[@BloodOnTheTracks_trbl]

Johnny Marr used a Roland JC-120 on their early recordings, so if you want exactly that sound either buy a vintage version of that amp or get a Boss CE-1. Tad bit expensive I'm afraid.

[@christianc9409]

John Seabury waza craft is more affordable with updated electronics

[@BasementShopGuy]

This show is A-mazing. One of a kind, with superb brainpower. Well spoken hosts (who have great chemistry) and in depth reviews showing not only pedal features, but how pedals interact with guitars and amps. Love it!! Suggestion for video: Envelope Filters (hint, MXR).

[@foggydrifty]

Thanks for such a great recording on the guitars, really nice quality!

[@stuartbegley2085]

Another great vid guys, like how Dan actually explains the electronics of everything. Always interesting. Cheers!!

[@DoomedDawn]

Great stuff. I am really enjoying your videos and find them very usefull. Entertaining and educational at the same time. Oh, and the guitar tones the tones... So big thumbs up for Daniel and Mick. 👍👍

[@DrDavis77]

Awesome show guys. Love my Small Clone - even if no one else does! Well done and keep up the brilliant work.

[@martb8022]

Love these guys. Look at how happy they are just geeking out on pedals!

[@stuartnarduzzo4868]

Another great show guys! A chorus pedal (Cosmichorus) made it back on my board over the last year and I love it!

[@Amy-wg8md]

Just started this after watching the later chorus vid. You guys look like you get more sleep these days, it's good to see :)

[@flatsix666]

Best show on the www. Well done guys!

[@TheGigRigDaniel]

+flatsix666 ah, cheers mate ;)))))

[@walkinginharmony]

Micks face glazed over when you explained how the chorus worked! Then he beams when he hears something cool! Great show guys you work well together and explain things very well. How about a show on attenuators/powersoaks?

[@ronlight7013]

I bought and got rid of two choruses, the EHX Small Clone to which Dan referred (too synthetic sounding and not at all versatile) and the Joyo chorus (too muddy). I now use a wonderful $65 Mooer Ensemble King.

[@chrisharringtonguitarist]

Can't believe I only just found this channel, love it!

[@liam421]

Great video as usual and Chorus is beautiful! Thanks guys

[@ArgentPure]

I actually really liked the chorus into the overdrive!

[@robpags]

I look forward to your videos every week. Thanks.

[@Rikk303]

Great demo guys.

[@sifender56]

Great show as usual guys!

Great video again, Thanks. Especially love that Daniel's T-shirt design is based on the Sinclair ZX Spectrum.keyboard layout:)

[@vk3fbab]

another great video guys. keep them coming

[@Murry_in_Arizona]

17:18 caused a flashback to my childhood and late 60's morning and afternoon tv gameshows.

[@orbitalchiller]

You guys are funny, yet relevant. Always a pleasure to watch your show. :)

[@gabrieltudor6165]

Love the show ! Keep it up guys !

[@PaulGrahamGuitarst]

I love chorus effects in tasteful amounts. Keep the depth down a bit and the rate slow so you can just hear it in there thickening with some shimmer and its awesome. You could use it quite often clean or even with some dirt. Of course if the song calls for it, crank it.

[@waynewhiteside]

I had that Boss pedal in 1976, then I went and bought the Roland Jazz Chorus amp. I was in love with that sound back then. Great show guys. And yes, I am that old. lol

[@VERBANDTREM]

Another perfect episode! Dan you've inspired me to get a Tele! I'm going to go play with my CE-2 now.

[@NinetysixTele]

The multi chorus fx on the Möbius and Ola are amazing.

[@rodgervanraalte3953]

There's something about the sweet sweet sound of an EHX Deluxe Electric Mistress. Gets me every time!

[@electrum218]

Best show on the net by far, keep it up. Another reason to look forward to Fridays! Well strange, spent the day dialling in chorus, Leslie and tremolo amp tones then caught this show! Chorus is NOT dead! How about a show on amp effects? Different amp effects, a real jc120, various 60s vintage amp tremolo types, vibratone etc....

[@lance134679]

You guys were getting some awesome, classic modulated sounds! That said, I haven't used Chorus since the mid '80's.

[@christopherkelly2]

I thank Mac DeMarco for my love of chorus and vibrato. I went from guitar to synths- and love the 80s sound for synths but it wasn’t until Mac that I really fell in love with chorus. It isn’t for everything but when you want chorus - it really works for a sound.

[@ehambright]

Yes!! Another killer video you guys rock!

[@PaisleyWilde]

That CE-1 is really something else. Absolute quality.

[@clusterfucktheory]

Great show. 'Metal Box' by PiL is a great advert for the Electric Mistress, too!

[@DomSchu]

I love a light chorus over my clean tone.

[@elonmush4793]

Some chorus makes me comfy but too much chorus makes me uncomfortable.

[@android199x]

Good for rythem 80's sounds

[@mbosch1970]

Great show again!!...really enjoyed it, you guys are great and really make my friday!!....if you ever thinking of doing a part II on chorus pedals and/or rotary effects (the latter I hope you'll do sometime as well!), why not try the classics such as the Arion SCH-1 or EWS modified SCH-Z (Mr. Landau!!), Ibanez BC-9 (bi-chorus....great for those Scofield-type sounds) or Analogman (mini) Chorus...cheers!

[@aviator_bryan]

Walking on the moon. I geeked out a little every time you played it. :)

[@christopherbrown5278]

Great video guys! Even though I predominantly play bass and produce that was really informative and musical. You crack me up! Be great to see you do a video on Strymon Timeline tricks and tips. I know it was featured in the Delay episode but it's such a deep pedal that shows up all over the place. Be neat to hear about what you do with it. Thanks for what you do.

[@Ben.Morrison.]

Brilliant!!!! My No.1 KZbin channel - love you guys great stuff!

[@alexmurphy5289]

Alex Lifeson is the reason I own a CE-2W, but it's also just an amazing pedal anyway 😊

[@FilipeDiogo49]

you guys made want a Boss CE2 ...... i jumped on ebay to get before the video was finished....!!!! cool video guys

[@p_1210]

Essential for 80’s covers! Chorus and compression on a clean tone is glorious.

[@JamesRussoMillas]

I've always loved chorus, no matter what the 80's and compressors may have done to it. It just makes the guitar sound HUGE.

[@digitaldilema]

Great show as always guys. Yep reminds me of the hole created by selling my JC-120 really awesome amp.

[@70mcnevin]

Dan's playing was amazing in this video. He's a modulation man through and through. 😎🤘

[@alexey7459]

Alex Lifeson and Andy Summers; My favorite guitar players and the gods of chorus/flange.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

2 of My Favorites - too.

[@coupe-lee]

John Scofield actually maxes out the controls on his CE-2 that the guys thought was so funny. It's actually really cool for funky leads and helps cut through the mix with the dissonance it adds.

[@Kiko_C]

Great video. Thanks guys. The Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble looks nice and affordable.

[@Claviceptic]

Actually bought a CE-2 recently and have never been more adamant about the decision. Absolutely beautiful sound.

[@johnroberts838]

Brilliant demo, love my Chorus. Thank you.

[@MichaelCoughlanmusic]

Love my Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1! Still the best chorus known to man. Love the look on Mick's face when he hears it for the first time!

[@Rockbanden]

Hi guys ! I love your "shows" . Not only informative and filled with great points and tricks but you are great are entertainers :o) I got a lots og inspiration from you guys. Thanks, keep posting.... and let me please get your comments on the Strymon Olá. Thanks.

[@carterschaefer2762]

I love using a chorus in front of a cranked tube amp. gives such a dark, spacey, useable effect

[@jatin7361]

Nothing will ever pry the CE-2 off my board. So many classic tones in that box. Keep the quality shows coming, gents.

[@aidanfl]

Does it sound like Brian May?

[@cabbycabby1770]

Can't jam along with my favorite 80s songs without it. Must have!

[@lespeol]

Dat ce1. So impressive! So good!

[@LysanderLH]

I think we should pass a law which states that ALL Chorus pedals should be a watery tropical blue, Flangers a rainy grey-green, and Vibratos a mercurial silver. Thanks.

[@kylelikeskjvbible]

+Darryld1 I've always seen phasers as green and flangers as purple sort of like how Boss PH3 and BF3 are

[@LysanderLH]

@116619063929999262p119 goes without saying that phasers are green and delay is black.

[@dannybrazen]

+Karl Beerman flangers SOUND purple to me. or have i just been conditioned by the manufacturers?

[@LysanderLH]

dannybrazen I think you're just being obtuse. Phasers are brown, Flangers are greeny-grey!! Get with the plan! It's loose cannons like you who start wars!

[@harrysouter2304]

+Darryld1 delays are white , reverb is red , wah is black , boost is bright green and distortion is red , black and white stripes

[@Redhotchilipprs]

I love chorus man!..it's one of my main effects

[@noisyneil]

John Scofield used Boss chorus on A Go Go. Made me enjoy the sound again!

[@KAISERSIGMAX3]

Impossible not to smile while watching you guys.

[@maxsalasr]

I have always loved an used a chorus pedal. It's always in my pedalboard and almost can't do clean sounds without it. Also when I do solos, it widens the sound a lot, ala lukather, but the good era, not the overly modulated signal of the early 80s , more like the early 90s. Chorus with low rate and high depth does it for me. Currently using the Tc electronic corona chorus. Good and not expensive. Thanks for this episode guys, I loved it

[@PinkertonsThe]

Great show! I feel chorus have been trendy for a while now. With artists/bands such as War on Drugs, Mac Demarco, Kurt Vile using it quite a bit. Maybe not in a way that screams CHORUS!, but it is in there, adding colour.

[@shckltnebay]

When Dan says " isn't it amazing" just makes the pedal that much better.

[@middle_pickup]

Great sounds. Would have loved to hear a comparison between the Boss boxes and the Deco.

[@angelvargaspartida1891]

John Squire used the Ibanez CS9 in the first Stone Roses record and it sounds like pure heaven.

[@superpunx2599]

Cheap alternative to the Choral Reef is Nux Chorus Core(Tri-chorus) also rebranded as Donner Harmory. Just got one and loving it.

[@christianboddum8783]

Best thing that happened to Chorus pedals was the mix-control, saved the Chorus from extinction! Love my CH-2, but it is too wet. Recorded chorus gets old really quick. A drummer friend of mine pointed out that you should avoid recording with chorus, for that reason, and he was right. I have recorded with really great rock tone, but the Chorus destroyed the directness, and can't be undone.. also things that messes with pitch is, for the most part, to be avoided (in order to have precise hearing of pitches). FWIW

[@ModNicGuitars]

Really like the before drive and after drive part. Do that for everything!!!!! haha

[@andrestrat]

Very useful. Thanks Guys

[@christopherecatalano]

That old Chorus Ensemble sounds amazing. Delay, reverb guy here for most of the wilder FX in my chain, but lately hunting for that Cocteau Twin, watery and warmly lushness Holy Grail thing. The Walrus Audio Bellwether had it in the Mod, but I was a little underwhelmed by the delay darkness and clipping when pushed to cut through. I miss it. Maybe the DMM TT-550. Thoughts? Thanks.

[@sprayettes171]

I love chorus i have a CE 2 since 2007 (im 27 now) and use it almost everytime since i buy it. Actually chorus isn't a delay modulated signal, the splitted signal is modulated by an LFO (Low frecuency oscillator) with a non-audible frecuency bellow 20hz but that the oscillation time can be listen, so the positive and negative wave half cycle plus the frecuency that modulates (duration of full wave cycle in ms) are those eho makes the faster and higer or slower and lower effect, always depending on the depth, that means how much of that processed signal get summed to the original and clean signal, a dey/wet relation. Sorry for my bad english, i love your videos. Keep on it! Gustavo from Uruguay

[@guidosmits5442]

I use Chorus on some clean verses in the songs of my band. Really like the effect, it sparkles and shimmers!

[@danielkrause7914]

Being a long time user of the CE-2 and the Mistress, this was nice! I really love the lush sound of the CE-2 and use it on quite some originals for my bands. Even at the somewhat more extreme settings for one song. I must say though, that I really don't like most of the "new" chorus'ses. The Mistress is just in a league of it's own I think. To me it's the most usefull flanger ever made and can be very subtle. Nice episode guys ;-)

[@ErichPeace]

The CE-2 and Ensemble are simply butter!

[@boozoochavis7506]

I always wondered how Andy Summers got those great guitar sounds on the classic cuts - the Elec Missus definitely nailed it! It has that vocal and swooshing vowel sound as you have shown - that mystery solved!! Those are such classic tones in my mind as I grew up listening to the actual vinyl back in the day - warm, warm, warm tones! Besides, there was not too much gear to choose from back then either.

[@petejt]

Thank you so much for this video guys. I'm a chorus and flanger fanatic, however I prefer the warmer, darker, syrupy slow chorus sounds than the bright brittle studio 80s pop stuff. Basically I cracked a fat when you did the Andy Summers flanger swirl.

[@petejt]

+petejt And gosh I love that Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble and EHX Electric Mistress

[@dacrowster]

That is the best recorded guitar sound I have ever heard on KZbin! So fat and thick ! Bravo²

[@andrewparfitt5899]

I love these you both do a great job. Im revisiting the 80s!

[@HitmanJenkins1]

I love chorus, I've got a Locobox Stereo Chorus that I picked up for about £40 last year and it's been one of my go to pedals ever since, running that into a Boss SD-1, and then into a Fender style amp with a Mustang sounds incredible, especially for 80s style Indie Pop and Post-Punk.

[@castleoflions9958]

Caviar sandwiches!!?! haha. is that a thing? As usual, fantastic show guys. Someone get Mick a real bell before he hurts himself.

[@michaelhandala]

thanks... i like it- it 'thickens' but without being overwhelming..

[@samatkinsphotography]

Old Blood Noise Endeavors released the 'Reflector' chorus pedal recently which is a very funky modulated version....Maybe the revolution has already started!

[@user-cq8xm7jp4v]

I find the "interesting" tee shirt Mick is wearing inappropriately hilarious, when Daniel is explaining how modulation works while Mick is nodding his head like "Yeah interesting". :o) Great by the way always a big fan of the show!

[@mikeroadblock]

Pre name drop horn...love you guys!

[@dannybrazen]

that CE-1 tone is GIGANTIC

[@KAISERSIGMAX3]

Just...........LOVE this channel!