History of Chorus Pedals

Whether it’s Def Leppard’s “Hysteria,” Alice In Chains’ “Rooster,” or Prince’s “Purple Rain,” you’ve likely heard a chorus pedal in action. For years, countless musicians have considered it a pedalboard mainstay and a simple way to add harmonic interest to your tone. Though it has found a spot on many contemporary and vintage records, the chorus effect’s dreamy, lush sound was not always sought-after as it is today. Join us as we scour the rocky history of the chorus pedal, from its humble, organ-inspired beginnings to today’s reputable stompbox beasts.

What Is “Chorus”?Born for Instrument Authenticity1975: The Emergence of an Amp Head Gem1976: A New Pedal on the BoardThe 1980s Chorus RenaissanceBOSS DC-2 Dimension C Chorus PedalIbanez DCL Digital Stereo Chorus PedalTC Electronic Stereo Chorus+ PedalChorus: A (Now) Underground EffectElectro Harmonix Small Clone Chorus PedalElectro Harmonix Stereo Polychorus / Analog Chorus / Flanger / Slapback Echo PedalWhere Is Chorus Heard Today?Beetronics FX Seabee Harmochorus Multi-chorus and Pitch Modulation Effects PedalCatalinbread Soft Focus Shoegaze Reverb Pedal with Chorus, Modulation, and Octave-upMXR EVH 5150 Chorus Pedal

What Is “Chorus”?

Before diving into the chorus effect’s claim to fame, it’s important to understand what the effect itself entails. The process is simple: chorus takes your raw input (in this case, your guitar) and creates a copy that’s slightly delayed from the original signal. It then applies modulation to the delayed signal via a low-frequency oscillator that, when combined with the input, creates the illusion of multiple instruments playing the same part simultaneously. The effect can be subtle or extreme, depending on the depth/width of the delayed signal and the chosen modulation rate (both of which can be modified on almost every chorus pedal). Our own Don Carr has an excellent video explaining the process. If you want to learn more, then I recommend you check it out below!

Conversely, it’s crucial to understand what chorus isn’t. Depending on the intensity of your pedal’s parameters, chorus can easily be mistaken for a flange or phase effect and vice versa. Both effects fall within a similar realm as chorus due to their modulative behavior, but each affects the delayed signal slightly differently. Sweetwater’s Nick Bowcott excellently discusses the relationship between these effects in more detail in the article below.

Chorus, Flange, and Phase Pedals – What’s the Darned Difference?

Born for Instrument Authenticity

Chorus entered the music world in the mid-1930s, a whopping four decades before the first commercially available chorus pedal debuted. Shortly after the release of the Hammond Model A organ in 1935, it became clear to musicians that the instrument lacked the tonal breadth to mimic the sound of an actual pipe organ. Hammond introduced the Model B-C in 1936 to lock in true organ tone once and for all.

A Hammond Model B-C organ. Фіксер, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Using a second tonewheel system with slightly detuned notes, the B-C’s onboard chorus generator fulfilled Hammond’s vision of providing a richer, harmonized sound. Thus, chorus as an effect was born. Countless organ and synthesizer manufacturers began to follow suit for the next few decades, including (in some way or another) a chorus-like effect onboard their new instrument models, making the effect an ever more popular tool among casual players, studio recorders, and performers alike. As an effect in the guitar world, however, chorus had yet to claim its stardom status.

1975: The Emergence of an Amp Head Gem 

Let’s be honest: for most guitar players, cranking up the gain is the first move we’ll make on a new amp. That’s why Roland’s legendary JC-120 (JC stands for Jazz Chorus) stood out upon its release in 1975. While it can reach those searing shred levels, the Jazz Chorus was designed to provide players with unparalleled clean tone. Provide it did — to this day, the JC-120 is a highly favored amp choice among guitarists preferring a more authentic signal output.

A Roland JC-120 amplifier. Steinikr, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hidden beneath the JC-120’s reputable clarity was one more superpower: a built-in stereo chorus. Harboring speakers with the power of stereo gave it the ability to offer chorus on an entirely new level. Roland integrated a Dimensional Space Chorus effect into the amp with a set of front-panel parameters, allowing users to tweak modulation intensity and depth. The result was the classic electric-born guitar chorus that continues to be replicated today. It was an instant hit with several musicians of the time, including Andy Summers of the Police, who reportedly utilized the JC-120’s chorus in much of the band’s earlier works. Guitarists like Johnny Marr and Robert Smith used the amp onstage in the 1980s. Fast-forward to the modern age, and it’s considered one of the best-sounding chorus effects ever made — highly due to the JC-120’s dual-speaker stereo output.

If you want one for yourself, then you’re in luck: the Roland Jazz Chorus is still in production and comes in three sizes, available here at Sweetwater! There’s much more to discuss about the JC-120, but we’re here for pedals, not amps. But if you’re interested in learning more about this amp, then you should read our article about its history below.

The History of the JC-120

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1976: A New Pedal on the Board

Praise for the JC-120’s chorus was so overwhelming that only a year later, BOSS released the first commercially available chorus pedal: the CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, which featured the same circuitry as Roland Jazz Chorus amps. It contained modes for both chorus and vibrato and offered depth, rate, intensity, and level controls. As far as pedals go, the CE-1 was big and bulky, but it sounded great, and guitarists worldwide were enamored by the fact that the effect wasn’t hard-wired into an entire amp.

A BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble pedal (1976).

The release of the CE-1 sparked a surge of new chorus pedals across the market, including the TC Electronic Stereo Chorus+ and the Electro Harmonix Small Clone by the decade’s end. Emerging victorious in 1979 was the CE-2, BOSS’s fully developed upgrade of the CE-1.

A critical difference between the CE-1 and the CE-2 was that the latter did not contain a vibrato effect. It was, however, smaller, lighter, and a better travel option than the CE-1. The CE-2 took the pedal industry by storm, reportedly being seen in the hands of musicians like Eric Clapton and David Gilmour by the decade’s end. If you had a chorus pedal in the late ’70s and early ’80s, then chances are it would have been a CE-2. Even today, guitarists worldwide will search far and wide for a taste of the pedal’s dreamy tone. It’s been re-created a dozen times over by several pedal brands. The modern BOSS CE-2W Waza Craft Chorus pedal is nearly a one-to-one re-creation of the original, giving you control over the CE-2 and the CE-1’s esteemed modulation.

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The 1980s Chorus Renaissance

Upon its arrival to the music world, chorus was a useful effect among a handful of renowned guitarists and prog-rock experimentalists. However, the advent of new-wave, post-punk, and alternative-rock genres in the 1980s paved the way for the effect’s golden age. The jangly character of ’80s guitar arpeggios and the call for wave-stricken ballads would not be the same without a chorus pedal, and it’s evident in the era’s musicality. Below are just a few examples of how chorus was utilized in popular tracks.

There’s no question about it: Prince’s “Purple Rain” is the quintessential ballad of the 1980s. Prince’s backing guitarist, Wendy Melvoin, played a crucial role in dictating the track’s tone. The secret to this addictive classic? The legendary BOSS CE-1 chorus pedal I mentioned earlier.

The Electro Harmonix Memory Man isn’t technically a chorus pedal. However, Crowded House took full advantage of the pedal’s delay, echo, and chorus effects to make the guitar stand out in their hit “Don’t Dream It’s Over.”

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That’s right — even hard rockers of the 1980s captured tones through a chorus pedal now and then, as heard in Def Leppard’s “Hysteria.” Ozzy Osbourne, Twisted Sister, Honeymoon Suite... you name it — nearly every metal artist utilized the effect to enrich their rhythms or bolster their leads.

You’d be hard-pressed to find an artist from the 1980s that didn’t utilize chorus at some time. As new genres hit the scene, so did the new chorus pedals that helped create them. The ’80s gave birth to an incredible number of stompboxes, some of which are being replicated and manufactured today. Listed below are (some of) the profound pedals that emerged in the ’80s and what made them unique compared to countless others.

BOSS DC-2 Dimension C Chorus Pedal

A BOSS DC-2 Dimension C chorus pedal (1985). Kuriosatempel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Artists became increasingly familiar with the digital gear that made their effects tick as the prominence of studio rack gear increased. In a (successful) attempt to get guitarists back to the pedalboard, BOSS released the DC-2 Dimension C pedal in 1985. Based on the coveted SDD-320 Dimension D studio rack effect, it didn’t include any knobs. Instead, players had four simple buttons in a similar style to the SDD-320’s front panel. Each button offered a different chorus effect with locked-in speed and depth parameters, so, as a guitarist, you would just select a button and play. This made the DC-2 a highly favored stage companion for artists who needed to change effects on the fly. Care to try it for yourself? No problem: the BOSS DC-2W Waza Craft Dimension C pedal is the DC-2’s modern-day equivalent, bearing all the same effects as the original, plus an additional SDD-320 mode!

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Ibanez DCL Digital Stereo Chorus Pedal

Most of the pedals I’ve mentioned have been analog. That’s why the Ibanez DCL Digital Stereo Chorus was revolutionary upon its arrival. Whether you prefer analog or digital effects, there’s no denying that the latter makes for a crisp chorus effect. Like the DC-2 Dimension C, the DCL Digital Stereo Chorus allowed guitarists to bring their favorite effects directly to the stage instead of relying on a rack unit in the studio. The DCL Digital Stereo Chorus may not have been the most popular pedal during its lifetime; still, it paved the way for an increasing number of digital chorus effects created in later years.

TC Electronic Stereo Chorus+ Pedal

The TC Electronic Stereo Chorus+ is an exception. Despite being made in 1976, this chorus stompbox profoundly impacted the music and tone of the ’80s. Regarding versatility, the Stereo Chorus+ had it all — pitch modulation, flange, true stereo, and width controls, among others. The pedal is originally analog but is known for its unparalleled smooth-as-silk tone, even when compared side by side with true digital effects. Like other vintage pedals, a 1976 TC Electronic Stereo Chorus+ can be hard to source. An easier way to activate the sound for yourself is with the TC Electronic SCF Gold Stereo Chorus Flanger pedal. It’s an enhancement of the original unit, containing all the same lovable controls and sound with modern delivery.

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Chorus: A (Now) Underground Effect

Chorus pedals gained momentum in the ’80s, which, unsurprisingly, followed in the early ’90s. However, chorus use had decreased dramatically by the middle of the decade. It was grunge, rock, and hip-hop — not new-wave pop — that defined the music of the 1990s, and for most artists, extensive use of chorus just wasn’t appealing. The effect’s time in the spotlight was over. However, this isn’t to say it didn’t exist. Chorus still thrived in the indie world and was a foundational effect for many shoegaze/dream-pop artists. It simply became more genre-specific. Listen to some of these tracks, and you’ll hear what I mean.

Alice In Chains stood on the edge of grunge in the 1990s. Despite its dedication to aggressive jams and song structures, the use of chorus was familiar in the band’s discography. This is evident in one of the band’s most popular tracks, “Rooster.” You don’t need to listen too hard to decipher that a chorus pedal is present in that intro riff.

There’s no better example of a ’90s artist using chorus than Robin Guthrie — more specifically, his time with Cocteau Twins. As a guitarist, Guthrie manufactured intricate walls of sound to elicit a wavy, dream-pop/shoegaze sound. His trick of the trade? Chorus, reverb, and delay — a triple-threat recipe that’s more than apparent in Cocteau Twins’ track, “Seekers Who Are Lovers.”

The Cranberries’ “Dreams” exemplifies how alternative rock artists utilized the chorus pedal in the early 1990s. Beyond the intro riff, the song is full of chorused rhythms, melodies, and everything in between.

The 1990s were an incredibly versatile music era, and the waning use of chorus certainly factored into this musical environment. The development of new pedals took a steep decline. For the bands that habitually utilized chorus, equipment choices generally featured older pedals, such as the CE-2 and DC-2 Dimension C. Below are some examples of pedals utilized to create some of the greatest hits of the 1990s.

Electro Harmonix Small Clone Chorus Pedal

An Electro Harmonix Small Clone chorus pedal (1979).Electro-Harmonix_SmallClone_Chorus_GuitarEffect_1189.jpg: Sky99derivative work: Atlantictire, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Electro Harmonix Small Clone chorus pedal is a legendary piece of gear. This pedal, released in the late 1970s, shoved its way through the ’80s and ’90s. It was such a popular pedal, and it is still in production today. It features a large rate control knob and a simple 2-way depth switch, summoning any chorus tone, from subtle waves to extreme, phaser-like swells. Its prevalence in the 1990s? It’s a common sight on Kurt Cobain’s pedalboard, and it can be heard in many Nirvana pieces, including the introduction riff to “Come as You Are” and a background rhythm effect in “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

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Electro Harmonix Stereo Polychorus Analog Chorus / Flanger / Slapback Echo Pedal

The 1990s was a good decade for Electro Harmonix. Next is the company’s Stereo Polychorus Analog Chorus / Flanger / Slapback Echo pedal. Another pedal made famous by Nirvana’s front man, this versatile pedal has repeatedly been cited for its extensive use in the band’s final studio album, 1993’s In Utero. While mainly utilized for its intense chorus effect, the pedal hosted several effects, making it a practical option onstage and in the studio. Unfortunately, the pedal was discontinued in 2011, but plenty of like-minded options on the market give you serious bang for your buck. Consider the Strymon Mobius Multidimensional Modulation pedal, for example. Three footswitches, 12 modulation types, and 200 presets are available in a single unit.

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Where Is Chorus Heard Today?

A better question would be: Where isn’t chorus heard today? The effect has appeared in countless modern hits, from Mac DeMarco to Daft Punk. So, where did the sudden surge of chorus effects come from? The answer is somewhat unclear, but the increasing popularity of ’80s guitar tones is certainly a factor — read more about that in our “The Return of 1980s Guitar Tones” article! If you’ve kept up with recent pedal releases, then you’re aware that the number of new chorus pedals is growing exponentially. Traditional chorus, synth-style modulation, and ambient swells are frequent in today’s versatile music realm. Below are just a few notable examples.

An extensive use of chorus and reverb defines psychedelic indie artist Connan Mockasin’s guitar tone. His nearly 9-minute-long “Charlotte’s Thong” track puts his guitar skills and effect-summoning mastery on full display.

We’ve all heard this one. Likely Daft Punk’s most famous song, “Get Lucky,” featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, is backed by a funky guitar rhythm topped with an unrelenting chorus wash. The additional pianos, synths, and more utilize the chorus effect to its full potential.

The late Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading of Her’s channeled ’80s guitar tones through almost every track. The best example is in the duo’s song “What Once Was.” Chorus is instantly recognizable in the lead lines, bass, and even in the vocals.

Today’s musical climate is just as, if not more, versatile as the discography of the 1990s. With so many new genres and the rebirth of classic guitar tones, it’s no wonder chorus has developed into such a widespread effect among many musicians. Several new pedals are out there, so it’s hard to pinpoint any quintessential models. However, I’ve listed a few favorites among Sweetwater chorus fanatics.

Beetronicis FX Seabee Harmochorus Multi-chorus and Pitch Modulation Effects Pedal

The Beetronics FX Seabee Harmochorus multi-chorus and pitch modulation effects pedal is on another level of chorus implementation. Boasting bucket brigade chorus and Harmochorus modes, you can easily extract complex arpeggiations, chords, rhythms, and more with a couple of stomps. It’s also MIDI-compatible, allowing you to control your sounds on the fly without referring to the pedal whenever you need to change. Topped off with pitch shifting and a bout of synth-like arpeggio options, the chorus possibilities you can recover with the Seabee are nearly endless.

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Catalinbread Soft Focus Shoegaze Reverb Pedal with Chorus, Modulation, and Octave-up

Although it’s considered a reverb pedal, I need to mention the Catalinbread Soft Focus shoegaze reverb pedal with chorus, modulation, and octave-up. If you’re into the late ’80s / early ’90s shoegaze/dream-pop vibe, then this one is right up your alley. It contains symphonic effects, ambient reverbs, delicate chorus effects, and, above all else, an unparalleled atmospheric wash when combined with your favorite crunch pedal. This model even sports a Sweetwater-exclusive shoegaze graphic! Who could say no to that?

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MXR EVH 5150 Chorus Pedal

This one’s for the shredders. If you’re a fan of Van Halen (or, more specifically, the tones on the band’s “(Oh) Pretty Woman” hit), then the MXR EVH 5150 Chorus pedal is your jam. It’s dead simple to control with its basic 3-knob layout. It also contains input and output level switches — a perfect match if you plan on cranking up the gain at any point. As stated before, chorus is a great way to bump up metal tones to soaring new heights. Sweetwater guitarists agree that the MXR EVH 5150 Chorus is the easiest way to obtain this legendary sound for yourself.

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Keep Calm & Chorus On!

The history of the chorus effect is a story all its own. If you’re curious about diving into this effect, then check out one of the recommended pedals above! Sweetwater carries an eclectic cache of chorus pedals, so check out our website to find the best device possible. If you have any questions or are looking for extra recommendations to add to your rig, then call a Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 — they’re always willing to talk gear!
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