reveal that we owe a lot to the innovations of the 70s and 80s .
The Boss CE-1 chorus pedal became the gold standard for many guitarists in the mid to late 70s and beyond , but was almost equally popular among keys players who would run everything from Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos to the popular analog synths of the day through this simple little pedal . Today this effect is still commonly emulated across many hardware and software synth platforms .
The Roland Dimension D chorus was a bulky , plain looking rack unit released a few years after the Boss CE-1 . Featuring a stark front plate with only four effect buttons , the unit appeared deceptively simple , but each effect button toggled a lush , unique spatial chorus effect that was groundbreaking at the time . Today this legendary rack unit has been modeled by numerous plugin manufacturers and its sound has been featured on countless albums .
There are many other chorus units that could be a part of the discussion of classic chorus effects , but for the sake of brevity I ’ ll just say that while you may think of chorus as a simple , predictable effect , there ’ s a lot of range to be explored and enjoyed across eras of music tech innovation .
MUSICAL CIRCLES At this point you may be wondering how you can begin exploring different applications of chorus for yourself . The good news is you likely don ’ t need to head online and drop several hundred dollars on new plugins or hardware to do so .
If you ’ re a MainStage or Ableton Live user the built-in Chorus effects are both versatile and relatively easy to make sense of . Pro-tip for MainStage users : turn on the “ D-Mode ” option inside of the Chorus plugin to make the plugin emulate the Roland Dimension D mentioned above .
Hardware users are also sure to find a decent chorus emulation available in most any modern workstation and if your keyboard is from a classic brand like Roland , Korg , or Yamaha there ’ s a pretty good chance one of the classic chorus effects is available in emulated form right inside the board .
Regardless of the hardware or software effects you have available , taking the time to listen to classic and contemporary examples of chorus applied well is the best way to get inspired . As you listen , open up that plugin and begin to experiment for yourself . After all , it was that same spirit of experimentation that first brought chorus to popular music in the 70s and 80s that is driving modern worship music forward now . Have fun going along for the ride .
David Pfaltzgraff Founder and Lead Sound Designer at SundaySounds . com , a site that resources worship keys players and guitarists around the world . David currently resides in Des Moines , IA with his wife and two boys . He enjoys volunteering in his church ’ s worship ministry , old synthesizers , and a good super-hero movie .
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