# Chorus vs Pitch Detune



## mrfiftyfour (Jun 29, 2008)

I have picked up a Nova System multieffects pedal. 
I've been jumping back and forth between the chorus and pitch detune to get that thickening of tone and cop a little of the 80's sound.
So far, the pitch detune has been working out the best. I have it set up for +9/-9 and it thickens the tone without the swirl effect that the chorus has.
The Nova also allows me to change the delay time on the pitch detune. 
Just wondering if anyone out there has come to similar conclusions.
I could use a little schooling on pitch detune.
Besides EVH, any other iconic tones I can listen to using pitch detune instead of chorus?


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## sorbz62 (Nov 15, 2011)

Hi mate,

*Chorus* is produced with one or more delayed signals, with the delay time varied by an LFO (typically around 20 mSec). These signals are combined with each other and/or the original. The result is harmonically related notches moving over the frequency response. Contrary to popular opinion, Chorus is not strictly the combination of detuned signals, however, audible pitch variation occurs as a result of fast-changing delay times, such as high LFO speed, high LFO depth or fast changing LFO waveforms. Cheap/old digital effect units have delivered chorus effects by mixing detuned signals which can sound similar, but it's not the original authentic chorus effect.

*Detuning* combines signals with different pitch-shift amounts produces tone similar to a Chorus without the movement of a chorus LFO. You can add to this effect with a short, fixed delay as well (or instead).

Chorus in stereo tends to have a dry signal on one side and the wet on the other, whereas Detune has a detune signal in both.

Both of these effects work best in stereo, or even better in a wet/dry/wet rig like EVH uses/ used to use.

Pitch detune sounds awesome in a 3 speaker w/d/w rig where the integrity of the dry sound is pure in the centre speaker and the stereo pitch shifting is in the other 2. Mix that with a little delay and reverb and, voila, instant Eddie!

Chorus sounds good in both stereo or mono. 

I use both for slightly different applications.


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

I had a Nova System and it has great detune/ and chorus for that matter.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Flanging, chorus, doubling, and "de-tuning" are all on a continuum. The differences lie in what your attention is drawn to, as a function of the delay-range employed. At shortest delay-times (flanging), our attention is drawn to the manner in which the signal becomes "infected" with notches and peaks, and then "emptied", as it sweeps from shortest to longest delay and back. Shift the delay range over a bit, by adding a few milliseconds, and the signal becomes so full of undulating notches and peaks that the location of notches can be ignored and attention is shifted to the small discrepancies in pitch and arrival-time as the delayed signal comes close to catching up. We call it chorus because it sounds like multiple players knowingly and deliberately playing the same thing at the same time, with minute pitch differences. "Doubling" extends the delay-time range out even a little further; not quite enough to sound like an echo, but long enough that it can sound like someone attempting to record a second copy of something on top of an existing recording. The lag introduced by someone trying to copy an existing performance - listening to the notes played as a "cue" to play the same notes - results in an incorporating of not only the slight pitch differences, but the perception of two discrete events.

So where does "detune" fit in there? Depends on how wide you set the sweep width. Flanger and chorus-users will know that you set the width control lower when the sweep rate is fast and wider when the rate is set slow. The pitch-deviations are much less perceptible when they are slow, and too obvious when they are fast.

Of course, this is all predicated on an analog signal path. Once the effect becomes generated digitally, other twists can enter into the equation. So, more than one slightly-delayed/detuned "copy" of the input may be generated at the same time. As well, the "shape" of the pitch deviation may be more articulate/elaborate under digital control. By this, I mean the way in which the pitch might change (e.g., decellerate) as you move closer to or farther away from the original.

Some manufacturers will also call an effect "pitch-modulation" (I'm thinking of my TC unit, here) by simply removing the dry signal, leaving only the time-modulated copy, whose pitch deviations will now become more obvious without a real-time signal to "anchor" the sound. Other manufacturers may call the same thing "vibrato".


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

mhammer said:


> Other manufacturers may call the same thing "vibrato".


..........while Leo would have called it "tremolo".


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## mrfiftyfour (Jun 29, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. I gave up on this post, didn't think anyone cared!
So far, I've been using chorus on clean tones and the pitch detune on dirty tones.
The detune keeps the dirty sounds tight where I find chorus makes it mushy.
I'm really enjoying the Nova System.


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## CathodeRay (Jan 12, 2018)

mhammer said:


> Flanging, chorus, doubling, and "de-tuning" are all on a continuum. .....
> 
> Some manufacturers will also call an effect "pitch-modulation" (I'm thinking of my TC unit, here) by simply removing the dry signal, leaving only the time-modulated copy, whose pitch deviations will now become more obvious without a real-time signal to "anchor" the sound. Other manufacturers may call the same thing "vibrato".


There's a comprehensive demo on vibrato + adding dry mix & how this affects everything on the Pedal Show.


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## CathodeRay (Jan 12, 2018)

Can anyone verify the Neil Young used/uses stereo amps, dry channel one side + vibrato on the other, creating a chorus effect 'mixed by the listener's brain' as it were?


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