The chorus effect is one of those sound effects everybody knows how to use, but they always seem to use it the same way. Maybe you use it for distorted rock solos or for an eighties clean sound. But there are a few ways you can use chorus, all on different instruments with separate agendas. Read on for five creative ways to use chorus.
- On twelve-string guitar (acoustic): Even before you think about any modulation, the rich harmonics of a twelve-string guitar almost sound slightly chorused by themselves. However, if you want to add a little richer and more resonant sound, inserting a subtle and slow chorus effect will make the part sound like it’s being played by five separate guitarists, developing a wall of 12 string chord strumming.
- To add doubling to select phrases: Chorus can be used to accurately double vocals pretty efficiently, and even waves have their chorus effect plug-in in one of their bundles developed mainly for this purpose, the Waves Doubler. But if you already have a decent vocal sound and don’t need to add extra chorus at every step, it can be an excellent method to add some scattered doubling to chosen phrases. Accenting the final phrases or words can give the sensation that you have a couple of vocalists singing the part, pushing the meaning home.
- To add matured shimmer to an electric piano: A Rhodes piano already has a nice shimmer to itself. If you are working with some other kind of electric piano sound that sounds lifeless and dull, then adding a punch of chorus can brighten it up and make it maturely shimmer.
- For a slowly oscillating bass: If you are struggling with a slow song with a calming bass line that doesn’t involve too much acrobatics, then a bit of a chorus to the bass can add an extra dimension to the sound. I had employed it when the bass player was playing steady whole notes, and it just produced this slow wave of bass, which complemented the song perfectly.
- On the guitar bus: If you have several different guitars arranged and sent to one bus, you can maturely spread them out even more with the chorus. Process each guitar with Eq, compression and panning; send them to a single bus and insert some extra chorus on that bus.
We, at NYK Daily, wish you a musical time ahead. We hope to see you rise and shine in the music industry. Thanks again.
