The Top 10 Greatest Chorus Effect Recordings of All Time.

Let’s talk about chorus. Not the section of a pop song where the whole band steps up to the microphone and shouts the same five words over and over again, I’m talking about the chorus that comes out of a stompbox. Back in the 80s and 90s, no working guitar player would set foot on stage without his or her trusty Boss CE-2, Electo-Harmonix Small Clone, or MXR Micro-Chorus. The beautiful shimmering modulation of a good chorus pedal adds life to clean guitar signal or an army of three-dimensional depth and popping overtones to an overdriven tone - long live the chorus pedal.

But what is chorus, just what exactly is happening to your guitar signal? Well it’s pretty simple - a chorus pedal combines your clean tone with a duplicate modulating signal (or 2 to 4 duplicate modulating signals) to create the sound of multiple instruments playing simultaneously. When I say, “modulating signal” I’m basically talking about a slightly delayed signal that speeds up then slows down. You may be saying, “wait, doesn’t my flanger do the same thing?” Well, yes it does. The difference between a flanger and a chorus is in the delay times between the clean and modulating signal. Smaller delay times create the “whoosh” generally associated with flangers while longer delay times create the lush, doubling (or tripling) effect associated with choruses.

After months and months of research (exaggeration alert!!), I’ve taken it upon myself to come up with what I believe to be the definitive rank order list of great songs that use the otherworldly effect we call “chorus. “ Before we commence the countdown (well, actually it’s a count-up), I’d like to say a word about the Source Audio Gemini Chorus – it will give you not one but 3 amazing chorus effects. Out of the box it's got a simple 4 knob control panel, but connect it to a Mac/Windows PC or iOS/Android mobile device and enter a world of additional editing possibilities. Click here to learn more about the Gemini Chorus.

The Official Gemini Chorus Demo Video

OK, on with the countdown. Please feel free to comment on our Facebook page if you’ve got any criticisms. I love a little rock n’ roll debate, and if you make a good argument, I may be willing to update the list. 

1. The Police: Walking On The Moon
The number 1 spot has to go to The Police – after the release of Reggatta De Blanc, chorus pedals became pretty much standard issue guitar equipment for the next 15 years. Actually, I’ve seen quite a bit of debate over whether Andy Summers was actually using a flanger to get his signature shimmering guitar tone, but as I mentioned earlier there is a little bit of gray area between chorus and flanger. To my ears, Summers’ tones on the first Police album falls a bit more in the flanger camp, but by the time they reached Reggatta, Summers was definitely rocking the chorus pedal – listen to those chords in the intro, that’s some serious shimmer. 

2. Nirvana: Come As You Are
You might think the rough edges synonymous with the early 90s grunge movement would be the antithesis of the chorus effect, but guess again. Kurt Cobain is known for having two pedals in his live rig, a Boss DS-1 and an EHX Small Clone. The opening guitar line in this classic track is drenched in chorus. Yes, the soft verse/loud chorus approach turned into quite a cliché once the grunge movement hit the mainstream, but at the time of this recording, the approach was positively thrilling. The syrupy chorus in the verse riff provides the perfect counterpoint to the tune’s explosive chorus. 

3. U2: I Will Follow
Wow, how about this video? U2 at Red Rocks: probably the singular moment when U2 transitioned from being an exciting young band to being…well, U2. In the following years The Edge would pretty much redefine how we all viewed delay pedals, but he was also no stranger to a chorus pedal. The guitar line for “I Will Follow” is a perfect example of a well-placed chorus effect. To anybody who thinks chorus is for wimps, I offer “I Will Follow” – this guitar line explodes.

4. Daft Punk: Get Lucky
You might be saying “what do I need a chorus pedal for? Nobody uses chorus anymore.” Well, you would be incorrect. Check out Nile Rogers’ guitar line on this killer track from the new Daft Punk release, Random Access Memories. the sweet and subtle chorus is a perfect complement to Nile’s signature staccato strumming, nothing colors a squeaky clean funk guitar like some chorus.

5. Jaco Pastorius: Continuum
Chorus and fretless bass, they go together like pie and ice cream. There’s just something about a pair of sliding parallels that scream for the doubling effect of a good chorus. This atmospheric track from the first Jaco record is an outstanding example of the chorus/fretless combo. Kids, if you want to play like Jaco, you can start by picking up a fretless bass and a chorus pedal, but we also recommend setting aside some time for practice.

6. Rush: Spirit of Radio
“One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity” – DAMN RIGHT THEY DO! You can’t talk about chorus without talking about Rush. Alex Lifeson was a master of the overdriven chorus sound - listen to the way those droning E and B strings sing out during the verse, it’s a perfect riff for a chorus pedal.

7. The La’s: There She Goes
There's a bit of a chicken or the egg argument regarding chorus and the jangly guitars that permeated the 80s and early 90s. Was the jangly sound of bands like the Pretenders, The Police, or the Smiths a result of the ever-increasing presence of chorus pedals or did chorus pedals become popular because they make clean jangly arpeggios sound sooooo fantastic? I guess we’ll never know.  There couldn’t be a more tasteful and appropriate use of a chorus than the chiming two note figures that introduce “There She Goes.” They simply jump out of the speakers.

8. The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Mellowship Slinky in B Major
It’s no secret that chorus was drastically over-used during the 80s. For years it was the go-to sound for car ads, sitcom theme songs, and horrific pop Christmas music. But despite its overuse a decade earlier, John Frusciante and the Chili Peppers still managed to use chorus in awesome and super tasteful ways. This killer track from Blood Sugar Sex Magic is a perfect example - John’s chorus pedal really punches up the opening riff, plus it adds some nice texture to the verse progression. Hell, I think there might even be a bit of chorus on the lead vocals as well.

9. Metallica: Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
The chorus effect was a staple in the 80s heavy metal power ballad, those beautiful arpeggios in the verse always had a touch of chorus.  Sure, over the years plenty of lesser metal bands made the approach feel unbearably cliché, but anything Metallica did on their first five records felt unbearably awesome. James Hetfield’s brilliant rhythm guitars on “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” is a testament to the POWER OF CHORUS…uuuuh, I mean THE POWER OF METAL!!! 

 
10. Boston: More Than A Feeling
Drop the needle anywhere on the Boston’s self-titled debut and you’ll hear some sweet chorused guitars. Sure, Tom Schultz and crew wrote the book on guitar layering, which essentially creates the same effect as a chorus pedal (I’d be surprised if there is a single guitar line on this album that’s not doubled or tripled), but the first Boston record took things a step further by layering AND chorusing the guitars. Every track on the record is great, but I’ve got to go with “More Than A Feeling” – it’s just one of those quintessential rock moments. Who knew high voltage rock n’ roll could sound so pristine? And Source Audio is based in Boston, so we gotta give some respect...

11. Crowded House: Don’t Dream It’s Over
OK, we’ve gone past the top ten – this is when I get to throw in a few of my own personal faves. How about this tune from the vastly underrated band, Crowded House. yes, I know they were huge in ’87 and ’88, but they continued to make excellent records without the same pop success. The opening chord for “Don’t Dream It’s Over” is fantastic, there’s something about the pairing of a ninth chord and chorus that just sings. 

12. The Pretenders – Mystery Achievement
James Honeyman-Scott was one of the prime movers in the world of jangly guitars, his melodic lines fit perfectly with Chrissie Hynde’s phenomenal song writing. Together they helped construct a sound that dominated popular music over the decade. It’s tough to pick one Pretenders tune for this list, but I’ll go with Mystery Achievementfrom their debut record. Honeyman-Scotts’ rhythmic chord stabs combined with some shimmering arpeggios perfectly enhance this brilliant song.

13. John Scofield - Just My Luck
The great jazz-fusion guitarist John Scofield once expressed how difficult it was for him to turn his chorus pedal OFF! Yes, the guy loves chorus. There are plenty of cool Scofield tunes drenched in chorus, but this experimental romp takes the cake for its over-the-top use of chorus. Dear Lord, the guitar at the top of the tune has the chorus depth cranked so high it sounds like a steel drum. And there’s even some chorus on the bass – well why wouldn’t there be?