Do you HATE Chorus on acoustic guitar?

[Goat Mick]

I’m another one that doesn’t like chorus on an acoustic guitar. Sounds good on electric but to me it just sounds fake.

[OldNewPlayer]

Simply speaking from my experience playing on stage over 35 years ago, I used a "Stereo Chorus". Let me repeat, a Stereo Chorus on both my Martin D-28 and D12-28. I blended the pickup sound with a small condenser mic I clipped in the sound hole. The Mic probably 30% versus the pickup with the Stereo Chorus. Of course I ran it through 2 channels on my mixing board splitting the sound. The benefit???? It truly separated the sound of the guitar from my vocals. One didn't muddy up the other. My chorus settings were very subtle.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by OldNewPlayer

Let me repeat, a Stereo Chorus

I agree with this. The one chorus I had on my pedal board for a while was the Dimension C, which is quite different from most choruses. in mono, it's so-so, kind of swishy. In stereo, it's just a huge wide sound. Stereo makes everything sound better!

[southbeck]

Yes, I hate it.

[OldNewPlayer]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I agree with this. The one chorus I had on my pedal board for a while was the Dimension C, which is quite different from most choruses. in mono, it's so-so, kind of swishy. In stereo, it's just a huge wide sound. Stereo makes everything sound better!

YUP!

It's the difference between listening to an old "Mono" album versus stereo if you're old enough. When I played on stage in the 80's, I probably used my 12 string a majority of the time. with the 12 string, there's so much sound going on especially when I used an 18 inch subwoofer system I built in '82. the minute I bought a "Stereo" chorus, everything changed. My settings were very subtle but enough as said to split the sound and separate the guitar from my voice. As also mentioned, I did blend a small mic to blend some of the natural sound with the chorus effect. When I used the 6 string, my playing style was different (more percussive) and I kicked up the microphone blend to maybe 40 to 50% especially when strumming and the particular song. Funny story. My 8 channel mixing board sat on my subwoofer cabinet which was behind me and to one side a bit. This was when I was in Minnesota (Home of Prince). So one night I'm playing at a restaurant. I finished a set and these guys came up to me asking how I was getting my killer sound. They were blown away. Turned out they were part of "Prince's Sound Crew". LMAO

[ballynally]

To me, as far as you cannot notice the chorus effect and say: ah, chorus!
Some do a chorus-y thing emulating a 12 string that works quite well.
As long as you keep the modulation and the general effect low it can be quite nice. 'Here comes the sun' 'give a little bit'.
More of a doubling effect than a modulation.

[Howard Emerson]

When I recorded 'Rumble Strut' (The Wall Talks cd) we decided to mic my Fishman Loudbox Performer amp instead of mic'ing and trying to add the effects.

The only sound source was a Fishman SBT-E soundboard transducer in the lower bout.

Using the minimal chorus setting & built in delay on the amp turned out to be perfectly suited for the composition, especially because my vision of the song was that it be a pushy, strong & sassy straight 4 feel.

The hint of chorus adds some 'roar' to the slid phrases & dead note accents, and a twinkle to the string buzzing.



Regards,
Howard Emerson

[SpruceTop]

I use effects very sparingly and will only use a chorus or a phasing effect on a song that I'm covering if the original song used it.

[raysachs]

I don't like ANY effects on acoustic guitar - I don't even like plugging them in and since I don't have to anymore, I never plug in or play with effects. The only exception is when I'm recording in my office, a spare bedroom with zero natural reverb, I'll add a touch of reverb to both my guitar and voice.

I don't like that many effects on electric guitar either - beyond the gain and reverb you can get out of most decent amps, I sometimes use a touch of delay. That's about it for me...

-Ray

[Rudy4]

No.

Chorus is ALL about the spatial imaging that goes on between the "chorused" instrument and the listener's TWO ears. Effects that are well designed as stereo enhancement can often improve the perception of spaciousness and richness of the instrument, even if it doesn't exist in nature normally.

Anyone who has experienced a guitar through a tone cabinet where the speakers literally "throw" the sound around the room knows what a powerful addition that spatial processing can add to an acoustic or electric guitar. Even reverberation, which the large majority of players enjoy, is best experienced in true stereo.

I have a Cube EX that I use as a personal amp that has twin 8" drivers and 2" high frequency drivers and has really nice built in stereo effects including reverb and chorus. I only occasionally use anything other than reverb, but it's always added.

Nobody is being forced to use reverb, chorus, ambient delay, or any other spatial effect, but if it enhances your playing experience then use it. If it doesn't it's easy enough to move on.

I don't get the need to "hate" anything.

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Chorus is ALL about the spatial imaging that goes on between the "chorused" instrument and the listener's TWO ears.

Not necessarily on acoustic guitars, but I use mono chorus on recording projects ALL the time. :-)

Originally Posted by Rudy4

I don't get the need to "hate" anything.

Apparently it makes for a compelling headline.

[Captain Jim]

I quite enjoyed it. I have used a bit of chorus to fill out the sound in some situations. This Fishman sounds subtle enough that it doesn't sound gimmicky. Good review.

[rllink]

I thought it sounded good in the video. I don't do any effects on the acoustic right now, but I'm also not all about keeping the sound clearly accoustic. I have an electric guitar and a number of pedals. And I've plugged an acoustic ukulele into them for fun, it is just that if I want to do effects on a guitar, my electric is sitting there. For the record, I don't "hate" anything in regards to the guitar, or music in general. I hate the word hate though. It is such an extreme emotion.

[penrithrdstudio]

I think it depends partly on the pickup type. My main guitar has a Shadow magnetic pickup which sounds great without chorus, but adding chorus kills the 'acousticyness' and makes it sound like an electric guitar. On the other hand, I have a cheap Aria Ovation-style electro acoustic, which sounds rather thin plugged in without any effects, but a bit of chorus thickens the sound up nicely, while the undersaddle pickup cuts through and delivers the attack and pick noise that differentiates an acoustic from an electric. Maybe this is why chorus was used so much in the 70s and 80s when Ovations were so popular on stage.

[Jack Orion]

Originally Posted by Howard Emerson

When I recorded 'Rumble Strut' (The Wall Talks cd) we decided to mic my Fishman Loudbox Performer amp instead of mic'ing and trying to add the effects.

The only sound source was a Fishman SBT-E soundboard transducer in the lower bout.

Using the minimal chorus setting & built in delay on the amp turned out to be perfectly suited for the composition, especially because my vision of the song was that it be a pushy, strong & sassy straight 4 feel.

The hint of chorus adds some 'roar' to the slid phrases & dead note accents, and a twinkle to the string buzzing.



Regards,
Howard Emerson

Generally I would say 'yes I hate chorus on acoustic guitar' but I actually really enjoyed the sound on this track - gave it a bit of a Ry Cooder/Ali Farke Toure vibe!

Now I wouldn't want to listen to a whole album/gig of that tone, but for a bit of a change in tone/feel on an album I think that was great!