How To Use Bass Chorus ?

[BassMonstrum]

A tad chorus can actually enhance your definition, thus helping you to cut through. It can also give you a bit shimmer, if you know what I mean...

 

[dmonroe]

I've always found chorus the most useful when playing with a 3-peice. Adds some fullness to make up the lack of a second guitar. Paired with and Octave pedal it's even better when the guitard is soloing.

 

[IncX]

the more spaces in the music, the better it would be for you to use a bass chorus.

check out this clip:

‪Teenage Dream Bass Cover‬‏ - YouTube

ok, that clip is embarassing, because i kinda did it as a joke to this friend, so try not get bothered with the visuals lol

the song lent itself to effects (lots of spaces). i was using a red witch moonphaser in the verse and in the pre-chorus i added a bootzilla wah to it... and in the chorus i added a fuzz.

 

[the V]

Hi to all,
if the thread isn't too old here's my chorus "setting procedure" when I need to underline the bass part.

IMO the effect should definitely catch some attention but without being annoying or over-distracting.

• After setting the amp at actual playing volume, on the chorus I set depth and "wet" level to MAX and filter/tone (if present) to FLAT.
• Then I adjust the speed to around half the tempo of the song, e.g. the effect "wave" completes twice in a 4/4 measure.
Not precisely half tempo though... a bit slower is better for me.
(Of course for using it on more songs you have to find a compromise which works for all of them.)
• Finally I lower both level and depth to taste, aiming to achieve the previously described "attention" sweet spot.

On the CEB-3 I like turn the filter knob towards CUT only until the sound color has just changed.
For me it means about in the 10÷11 o'clock position.

 

[GnRDuff1]

If you want examples of chorus in a rock setting, check out early Guns & Roses material. Duff has chorus on lots of it, as in Sweet Child o'mine being. Might not be the rock direction you're looking for, but at least will give an idea.

I have the Boss CEB-3 and the EHX Neo Clone. On our band's original material, it's on pretty much all the time.

+1 its one of my always on effects (playing in a 3-piece, so fatter=better). On the Use Your Illusion albums I find it to be a little more obvious, like don't damn me, you could be mine, and the bridge of "the garden"

 

[hrodbert696]

I have a CEB-3 too. The main times I use it are in songs where I can hear a chorus in the original recording (e.g. Cold War Kids' "Hang Me Up to Dry") or where I'm playing in a trio or otherwise with a lot of empty sonic space around, so that the chorus helps to fill the sound out without needing to overplay.

 

[runmikeyrun]

I used to use mine on slower bass and drum parts, set to slow sweep and deep depth. The effect gets lost when there's guitars blaring or if you're playing something complicated. If you can't figure out a use for it give it to your singer. It can be interesting if used sparingly on vocals. Get some XLR adapters at Radio Shack.

If you like noisemaker pedals, you can bend chorus circuits and get some really wild sounds.

 

[casio]

Chorus is one of the first effects I got. I have three different ones at the moment, but I still use them quite sparsely. I find it works for mellow parts of a song, playing chords or something like that, and it works great with fuzzes for me. But yeah, I try and work hard to find a context that doesn't make me think of Duran Duran

 

[Oreomeister365]

I like how it thickens up higher strings if for whatever reason I want to play higher strings when the guitarists goes to some higher register stuff.

For me I pretty much need room for it to be heard, and I need to not be playing the lowest string.

 

[champbassist]

I know that Jeff Caxide was already mentioned, but seriously, listen to some Isis and you can get an idea how chorus can be used in a modern context. "Ghost Key" is the most obvious one, but it's all over their last couple albums. Also, Justin Chancellor from Tool uses chorus a lot, too. A bunch of songs on Aenima, especially.

Being the Jeff Caxide fanboi that I am, I'll chime in with another recommendation: Not In Rivers, But In Drops off the In The Absence Of Truth album. In fact, that whole album has a seriously delicious chorus thing going.

 

[Bassmike62]

Cheers to the OP, I really like this thread. Chorus is by far my favorite bass effect (I use it on 99 % of our original material) and am always looking for new ideas.

Still looking for my best chorus pedal. Currently using the Boss CEB-3 and have used the EHX Neo Clone for awhile (still have it). Looking for an analog sound, so saving for an Analogman and will try the MXR Stereo Chorus, as soon as time permits.

(PS: not trying to steal the thread, just showing appreciation).

 

[ripman3]

When I had mine, I would use it during quieter parts of jams; try playing higher notes and/or chords. I liked letting the notes ring out and letting the chorus (or a light fast flanger/tremolo) create some movement. I feel like I can't hear the effect when playing louder, faster, more bassy lines, and my basic rule for effects is if I can't hear a difference, I don't use the pedal.

Sadly, I sold my CEB, but I am looking for a new modulation pedal so I can bring back some of those soft trippy sounds.

 

[NKBassman]

With my old chorus pedal, the best use I ever got out of it was selling it to fund something else. Just not my kind of effect... It was cool for wild noise-out stuff with extreme settings and fuzz and wah and every other effect under the sun turned on all at once, but I never really got to a point where I wanted to use it at any point during a song.

 

[champbassist]

Considering we're talking about combining chorus with fuzz/distortion as well, a great example of chorus shining through when combined with distortion would be Type O Negative's bass lines. Peter Steele's bass tone had this unique 'grainy' character owing to this combination.

 

[hen8]

how can you emphasize the lower notes if you are using the chorus effect?

 

[stambroker]

how can you emphasize the lower notes if you are using the chorus effect?

The Boss CEB-3 and other bass-centric chorus pedals tend to have low-filters that can either apply the effect to the entire signal or cut it so it only effects to the "high" frequencies.

 

[kenstee]

I like feeding the chorus (Speed 2pm/Depth 10am) into a delay of 800ms or so. Nice, spacey-type of driving vibe throughout the song. Actually, a bit Cure-like. Turn off the delay and you have a Peter Hook/Joy Division-type sound great for songs where the bass is playing a more prominent, lead role.

Using an Analogman Standard Chorus with the Deep Toggle activated at 18v into a Boss DD-2.

 

[winterburn69]

I use it for GN'R, Cure & Pink Floyd covers or slow bridges with alot of bass.

 

[lunarpollen]

I use an EHX Clone Theory for chorus... Usually set on chorus mode 2 with the depth and rate at about 11 o'clock.... Gives a great lush tone, not cold or brittle, very warm and intensely velvety. I like to use it for playing more of a "lead bass" style...

A perfect example of this: Invalid Link Removed

Sometimes I use it in chorus mode 1 (fixed depth) for an icier, harder tone (closer to what most chorus pedals do)...

 

[By-Tor1000RR]

I find a Chorus pedal to be very useful. I don't use it too much,but it does help to fill out the sound of a mellow song.

You can hear my Boss Bass Chorus teamed up with my Sansamp BDDI in this cover of Alice in Chains - Nutshell.

Alice in Chains - Nutshell (studio version) - Bass Cover - YouTube

I think its a pretty rich tone.....