Chorus is an audio processing technique that takes an input signal, creates one or more duplicates, applies a low-frequency oscillator to vary the pitch (typically ±5–20 cents) and delay time (typically 15–40 ms) of each copy, and mixes the processed copies back with the original unprocessed signal. The LFO frequencies are set lower than those in a flanger (typically 0.5–3 Hz vs 0.1–2 Hz), and the modulation depth is wider, creating a shimmering thickening effect that simulates multiple sources playing in slight unison. The technique persists as embedded circuitry in guitar pedals, DSP algorithms in studio software, and built-in patches on synthesizers. [formal: chorus | substrate: mind | horizon: a moment | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.01]
Accepted ontology entry
chorus
Chorus is an audio processing technique that takes an input signal, creates one or more duplicates, applies a low-frequency oscillator to vary the pitch (typically ±5–20 cents) and delay time (typically 15–40 ms) of each copy, and mixes th…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made audio processing technique: duplicating a signal, applying slight pitch variation and time delay to each copy, and mixing the copies back with the original to thicken the perceived sound — built to persist as a standard effect in guitar pedals, synthesizers, and studio processing.
Names and aliases
- chorusen · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- delayDEPENDS_ON →
Chorus duplicates the input signal, adds a short delay (15-50ms) to the copy, and modulates that delay time with an LFO. Remove delay — the copy and original are identical and in phase — and the thickened, multiplied sound vanishes. Delay is structurally necessary: without it the effect collapses to the dry signal.
- lfoDEPENDS_ON →
Removal test (Laws 8a/8b): chorus definition states it 'applies a low-frequency oscillator to vary the pitch (typically ±5–20 cents) and delay time (typically 15–40 ms) of each copy.' Without the LFO, chorus has no modulation — the copies are static, producing no thickening or shimmering effect. The LFO is constitutive to chorus operation. Pinned sense: LFO as the modulator varying pitch and delay time in the chorus algorithm. Direction: chorus (dependent) → lfo (dependency).
- audio-effectINSTANCE_OF →
A chorus is a specific kind of audio effect: it intentionally alters a sound signal to thicken and enrich it through duplicated, modulated copies. A competent speaker would call a chorus 'an audio effect'. The nearest kind is audio-effect, not the broader modulation or signal-processing.
- delay-lineDEPENDS_ON →
A chorus effect cannot operate without delaying copies of the input signal: the core mechanism creates multiple copies, shifts each copy's playback timing by 15–40 ms, varies that offset with an LFO, and mixes the copies back with the original. Remove delay-line and chorus ceases to function — not merely become unsayable.
Relations to this entry
No accepted relations in this direction.
Record identity
- Created
- Sep 6, 2026, 6:48 PM UTC
- Content hash
- 33ee6d35fea43d470c48072410e171825b17511cd0bde62f0358984797104566