The Timeless Swirl of the Phaser

Few effects have left as deep a mark on guitar music as the phaser pedal. With its liquid sweep, funky movement, and psychedelic depth, it has shaped sounds from the late ’60s through today—bringing motion to tight funk riffs, spacey washes to ambient textures, and swirling character to soaring solos.

Unlike chorus or flanger, the phaser effect works by shifting the phase of your signal and creating sweeping notches that move up and down the frequency spectrum. The result is a sound that can be subtle and fluid at low settings, or deep and resonant at higher depths—perfect for funk, psych rock, shoegaze, or modern experimental tones.

Today’s phaser pedals give guitarists the flexibility to dial in anything from vintage, 4-stage warmth to more complex, resonant sweeps that rival a flanger—all while keeping that unmistakable, flowing swirl intact.

A Brief History of the Phaser Effect

Born in the late 1960s, the phaser became a defining sound of the '70s. Unlike a flanger or chorus, which rely on delay lines, a phaser works by splitting and shifting the phase of your signal, then recombining it to create notches in the frequency spectrum that sweep with an LFO.

Early units like the MXR Phase 90, Electro-Harmonix Small Stone, and Maestro PS-1 introduced musicians to warm, resonant modulation that was both musical and hypnotic.

Iconic Pedals That Shaped Phaser History

• MXR Phase 90 – 4-stage classic phaser

• Electro-Harmonix Small Stone – Deep, resonant modulation

• Boss PH-1 / PH-2 – Clean, modern sweep

• Moogerfooger Phaser – Ultra-deep analog phasing

• Lovetone Doppelganger – Complex stereo phaser madness

Artists Known for Phaser Tones

• Brian May – “Sheer Heart Attack” (Queen): Fast, rhythmic phaser on guitar riffing to add urgency and movement.

• Steve Vai – “For the Love of God”: Subtle phaser creates a fluid, evolving solo texture in the ambient breakdowns.

• Albert Hammond Jr. – “In Transit” (The Strokes): Clean guitar phaser adds depth to indie-rock rhythm work.

• St. Vincent – “Los Ageless”: Phaser-enhanced guitar and synth textures create futuristic motion.

• Jonny Greenwood – “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” (Radiohead): Layered clean arpeggios with phaser movement, adding complexity without density.

The Technology Behind Phaser Pedals

The phaser effect was born in the late 1960s as engineers searched for new ways to add motion and texture to electric guitar. Unlike chorus or flanger pedals, which rely on short delay lines, a phaser works by splitting your guitar signal, shifting its phase with a series of all-pass filters, and then blending it back with the dry signal.

The result is a set of frequency notches that sweep up and down the spectrum when controlled by a low-frequency oscillator (LFO). This creates the signature liquid, swirling motion that can range from subtle to dramatic.

The richness of a phaser is often described in terms of its stages:

• 2- or 4-stage phasers (like the MXR Phase 90) produce warm, classic sweeps.

• 6- or 8-stage phasers (like the Small Stone or Moogerfooger) deliver deeper, more resonant textures that verge on flanger territory.

Modern phaser pedals expand on these foundations with variable waveforms, feedback control, stereo spread, and even morphing between different phaser styles—making them far more versatile than the simple stompboxes of the past.

How the Phaser Works on ELIPSE

As you rotate the MOOD knob into the Phaser zone, ELIPSE engages a multi-stage phase circuit with continuously variable depth, shape, and speed.

Controls to shape your phaser tone:

• SPEED: Controls the rate of the sweep

• DEPTH: Adjusts the intensity of the phase shift

• SHAPE: Waveform of the LFO (triangle, sine, ramp)

• MIX: Noon for classic blend, full right for 100% wet modulation

• SWIRL: Adds a slow phaser or analog drive for layered texture

Tip: Increase DEPTH and turn MIX fully right for vibe-like swirling!

Getting the perfect Phaser tone with ELIPSE

To land in the phaser sweet spot, turn the MOOD knob into the last segment before Vibe (approx. 2 to 4 o’clock).

Recommended Settings:

• MOOD: 2 to 4 o’clock (Phaser zone)

• SPEED: Medium to slow for deep sweep

• DEPTH: Medium to high (11 o’clock–max)

• SHAPE: Triangle (center) or ramp (right) for funkier push

• MIX: Noon or slightly right for classic sweep

• SWIRL: Slight right for dual-phase texture

🎛️ Want vintage Phase 90 vibe? SPEED noon, DEPTH medium, SHAPE triangle.
🎛️ Want wide stereo-style wash? DEPTH high, MIX right, SWIRL right.

🎥 Watch the Phaser effect in Action

Here is the preset to get a Phaser effect with the ELIPSE:

Tone Characteristics

Perfect for psychedelic rock, funk, indie, ambient loops, post-rock, or classic rock solos that need movement without chaos.

Pro Tips: Morph or Sync On Demand

With expression pedal or MIDI, morph between two phaser flavors: fast rhythm chop and slow, hypnotic swirl. Sync to your drummer with tap tempo, or automate LFO movement for ambient transitions.

ELIPSE lets you move through the entire spectrum of phase modulation—without being locked into one sound.

Before you go back playing

• Download the Tremolo Preset for ELIPSE
• Watch the full Tutorial to learn how to use the ELIPSE in depth
• Subscribe to Our Newsletter: Receive weekly tone tips and presets

• Explore the Kernom ELIPSE Product Page
• Discover the MOHO (Multi-Fuzz) and the RIDGE (Multi-Overdrive)

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