Phaser

An effect that creates a series of moving notches across the frequency spectrum, producing a sweeping, hollow, slightly watery sound.

It works differently from a flanger: instead of mixing a delayed copy of the signal, it splits the signal into parallel paths and shifts the phase of one, then recombines them so specific frequencies cancel. Because the notches are not evenly spaced and the phase shift is not a delay, the effect sounds rounder and less metallic than flanging. A feedback control sharpens the peaks into a more pronounced sweep.

Example: a slow phaser across a clean arpeggio adds a gentle, moving colour without the swooshing jet sound of a flanger.

Phaser

See also