Tips on Using a Guitar Chorus Pedal

Guitar pedals are a great supplement to help give your playing a new vibe. They can allow you to achieve new tones, bigger sounds, and even higher pitches.

One of the most popular pedals used in modern guitar playing is the chorus pedal. In this article, we will discuss the basics of how to use the chorus pedal in order to change up your playing.

Before we get into the specifics, it is important that you understand something; pedals will not make you a better guitarist. They won’t make up for the lack of practice either.

While you can try and cover sloppy playing, covering it up will only go so far. Don’t let your pedal purchase be a one way ticket to No Practice Paradise. If they have made a pedal that makes you a flawless guitarist, this columnist hasn’t seen it.

A chorus pedal can do one thing and one thing only; add a chorus to your notes. That being said, it can be implemented in dozens of different ways. The chorus effect is created by the pedal taking your note and doubling, tripling, and sometimes quadrupling it. This creates a larger feel for each note.

This brings us to our first tip; using the pedal to create a stadium tone.

What’s The Use of a Chorus Pedal?

Using the chorus pedal to achieve that stadium-echo tone it a great way to add the pedal to your rig. It can make your solos sound bigger, your riffs sound denser, and your choruses sound more layered. Adjusting the levels on your chorus pedal will either add more of a chorus or take away the chorus quality from your notes.

While it is still best that you pick and choose when and where you use the effect, it is possible to incorporate it into all of your playing. The way to do this is to adjust the levels depending on the atmosphere of the song.

If you have an ethereal section in your song, the best thing to do is add more chorus. This will increase the “size” of the notes and allow them to trail off. If you are playing a more sterile section, it is best that you reduce the chorus. This will reduce the “size” of your notes and make them sound more natural.

With fast playing, chorus pedals can be a hit or miss. Depending on the brand and your familiarity with the way the pedal works, they can either make your playing sound huge or blurry. It is best that you experiment with your levels before shows if you plan on using a chorus pedal in your live rig.

This will assure that you are getting the correct tone and feel. Remember that the chorus pedal is a supplementary pedal and should last in the chain to the amp. This means it will be furthest from the guitar.

If you think a chorus pedal is a tool for you, try one out. Never make a purchase without plugging into your own amp and playing through it. This will help you to determine if the pedal works well with your amp and your guitar. Good luck! Read this article for more information on the different guitar effects pedals.

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