chorusing

Chorusing refers to the coordinated production of sound by multiple voices or sources. The term is used in several domains: music performance and sound engineering, animal behavior, and cultural practices of collective singing. In music, chorusing can describe singing in unison or with harmonies by a choir or group; in audio technology, a chorus effect thickens a signal by mixing several delayed, slightly detuned copies of the original signal.

In the natural world, chorusing describes simultaneous vocalizations by animals, most commonly frogs, crickets, cicadas, and birds. Individuals may synchronize or approximate calls to enhance signal reach, attract mates, defend territories, or deter predators. Chorusing often emerges from local interactions and shared environmental cues rather than centralized control, and it can vary in timing and strength depending on species and context.

In human music production, chorusing is also an effect generated by signal processors and plugins. It uses short delays, pitch modulation, and feedback to create the impression of multiple voices or ensembles. Common parameters include rate, depth, and mix, which control the speed of modulation, the intensity of the effect, and the balance between affected and dry signals. In performance contexts, a chorus may refer to a group of singers or to the sonic result of applied chorusing, contributing texture, width, and a sense of communal sound.