I am learning some new songs. Some of these have slapback delay on the recording.
A modelling amp which I had bought used, has in-built delay. But it is not working for some reason. However, If I activate the chorus effect on it and dial in a subtle effect - it seemingly helps me cut through while I practice with a loud drummer friend and another guitarist who plays rhythm parts.
It does not sound like the record if I am playing alone, but I recorded a song while practicing with my drummer friend and another guitarist and it does not sound weird or bad with subtle chorus engaged while I play lead.
Is it uncommon to have always on chorus to “stand out” in a mix?
Sometimes I feel that I am doing something wrong since I use chorus all the time when I play with my friends.
When I play alone, I don’t have any effect activated on the amp and it pleases me.
Nothing to worry about. Keep on or off whatever you want, whenever you want.
There are no fixed rules. The only thing you’ll probably encounter with everything turned off, is that your sound is affected (where you would like some effects for certain songs), that you don’t stand out in the mix (bandsetting).
For me, there are a few pedals that are always on. Compressor, chorus and delay/reverb. Practice or bandsetting, doesn’t matter.
Alongside those, other pedals get used whenever the situation asks for it.
One of the legendary amps, first introduced in 1975, is the Roland Jazz Chorus. To quote the website: “its rich tone and famous built-in stereo chorus effect have been heard on countless popular songs over its long history.”
I have the baby of the series - JC-22. If adding chorus works for your mix then there’s no reason not to use it.
I can’t answer directly, as we often don’t know what effects players have as their “always on” effects.
I almost always have a slapback delay with a very short delay time turned on when I play electric guitar. It helps to thicken the sound a bit. The only time I don’t is when I want a repeated delay (I only use this for one of my repertoire songs), in which case I use an analog bucket brigade circuit.
I don’t use chorus as an always on. I do have one on my board - it’s my only modulation pedal. I do like using it. However…a chorus pedal was the 1st effect I bought for bass. I bought it for the specific reason of thickening the sound a bit. As I recall, I used it as an always on for quite a long time (maybe until I bought a compressor, which will be adding sustain). So on bass I was using chorus for the same purpose as I use slapback on electric guitar.
So not a real conclusion for you, but an example of how I’ve used the 2 effects you talk about to achieve the same outcome (albeit on different instruments).
There’s a lot you can read or listen to, telling you what you should or shouldn’t to in a variety of cases.
Are they to be trusted? Are they true? Who knows.
Here’s what i found out, after buying a few amps and using one in school.
I found out that when playing on a fender champ, i can turn every built in effect off and get everything done with my pedalboard. Same goes for my Roland Cube, or Marshall amp.
These days i have a HB tube amp. Same story. Everything goes. Nothing doesn’t work.
At school, my favourite amp is a Line6.
Again, all the built in effects turned down, only a bit of drive and master volume around 02.00u.
Again, my pedalboard does all the work and provides me with the sounds i want/need/like.
So my advice would be this: plug your pedalboard in the amp, turn all effects off on the amp, and see where that gets you.
At this point, i don’t see any reason to go out and buy a new amp.
I don’t think it really matters where you get your sound from. If it sounds good, it is good. Guitar and amp only; or guitar, pedal board and amp; or guitar, modeller, amp; or guitar, pedals, zero watt amp, PA; or any other combination you can think of. If you sound good, hardly anyone is going to care where your sound comes from.