Chorus Rate – What is It and the Best Setting

Chorus is an effect which simulates multiple unique sounding instances of the audio it’s being applied to by way of modulation. While there are a lot of different chorus plugins out there, typically the one constant parameter you’ll find on them all is the “Rate” parameter. The chorus rate feature is the major driver of this effect, so let’s talk about what it is, how it works, and how it affects the sound of the chorus effect (plus the best setting for it).

What is Chorus Rate

Let’s first identify what the chorus rate parameter is.

Chorus rate is the parameter on a chorus effect/plugin which determines the speed of the transition between the tunings of the “duplicates” the effect creates:

chorus rate

Chorus rate goes to the root of how the effect works.

As I covered in my overview of what is chorus, the effect introduces an LFO, or low frequency oscillator, to shift the timing and pitch of the “duplicates” which the effect creates.

The LFO evolves these aspects in real time, making it sound like you’re applying automation, but it’s all done for you based on the effect’s parameters, namely the chorus rate.

Specifically, the chorus rate parameter determines the speed of the modulation, or how quickly the timing and pitch of the audio are changing.

The chorus rate is measured in Hz, and setting this lower creates a slower transition between the maximum and minimum extremes of the tunings, these extremes being a product of different parameters.

The lower the rate, the lower the LFO’s frequency, which results in a slower transition and ultimately creates a smoother chorus effect.

When you think of chorus, you typically think of that characteristic lushness. You can achieve this by setting a slow/lower chorus rate so that you can’t as clearly hear the transition between the tunings.

A slower chorus rate is also what you want when you want to add some width to your applied to track (see how to make your audio wider) as these “duplicates” sound like authentic unique instances of the same audio because of that varied timing and tuning.

Alternatively, you can turn the chorus rate up to get a much more noticeable and abrupt choppy sound as it quickly jumps between tunings. This isn’t a practical use for adding width, but more one of many modulated audio effects useful for creating interesting aesthetic effects on your track, bus, or even master bus.

What is the Best Chorus Rate

While certainly a subjective thing, the best chorus rate is generally a slower one which is associated with that characteristic chorus lushness I referenced a moment ago.

Specifically, I like a chorus rate of .4Hz, meaning 4/10 of 1Hz.

Most chorus effects (and pedals) like my favorite chorus plugin, Arturia’s Chorus Jun-6, feature a “Depth” parameter alongside the rate. If rate determines the speed of the transitions, it’s the depth which determines the range of the max and mins of those transitions (which is measured in milliseconds).

Combining a slow rate of .4Hz with a middling depth of 4-5ms achieves that trademark perfect lush chorus sound that sounds great on guitar, vocals, or even busses for a couple seconds here or there on transitions when mixed in for some automation:

best chorus setting

Remember that chorus rate is dependent on the other parameters of the chorus effect.

If you don’t add in any depth to the effect, you won’t really hear the benefits of the chorus as that rate will be transitioning between essentially a static timing and pitch. In other words, this will sound like you simply duplicated the track in your DAW which in effect just makes the track louder.

Refer to my many chorus tutorials here on Music Guy Mixing for specific guides on using it on each instrument in your mix to achieve a number of different results.

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