Chase Bliss Conjures Sonic Horror: A Patch-Oriented Guide to Being Scary

Central to the Chase Bliss approach are their own effects pedals, each contributing a distinct flavour of eeriness. Lossy, in particular, is singled out for its ability to generate cyclical, recycled loops that blur the line between signal and spectral residue. The team also mentions Mood, with its overdub mode, and Dark World, which adds cavernous reverb to the mix. These pedals aren’t just slapped onto the signal chain—they’re woven in, often in parallel, to create layered, unpredictable results.

There’s a nod to accessibility as well, with custom LED modifications for colourblind users—a small but thoughtful touch. The discussion isn’t limited to one pedal per sound; instead, combinations and routing choices are explored. For instance, running orchestral swell and resonator effects in parallel, or using Gen Loss for lo-fi crunch, shows how these devices can be more than the sum of their parts when patched with intention.

Layering is at the heart of Chase Bliss’s scary sound recipe. The team demonstrates how stacking loops—sometimes with multiple loopers, sometimes by exploiting the looping capabilities of pedals like Spectre and Ringworm—creates a dense, evolving bed of sound. This isn’t just about repetition; it’s about recycling and mutating material until it becomes unrecognisable and, crucially, unsettling.

They show how Mood’s overdub mode allows for subtle additions to the loop, while Lossy’s recycling keeps the texture in constant flux. The use of Blooper for quick drum loops, immediately dropped an octave, adds to the sense of unease. The approach is methodical but playful: each layer is introduced with intent, whether it’s a detuned bass, a reversed cymbal, or a piezo-mic’d drum head acting as a resonant microphone.

What stands out is the focus on cyclic processes—loops that degrade, morph, and interact with each other. The result is a living, breathing soundscape that feels both organic and haunted, perfect for those looking to move beyond static effects chains and into the realm of sonic storytelling.

A key technique highlighted is the use of detuned orchestrations, particularly with the orchestral swell effect. Rather than modulating pitch above and below the centre, the effect only dips below, creating a persistent sense of unease without the relief of resolution. This subtlety is what gives the sound its eerie character, as the team explains and demonstrates in real time.

Ambient textures are further enhanced with resonators, reverb, and lo-fi processing. The combination of these elements—detuned swells, pipe-like resonances, and wind-like pitch shifts—evokes a haunted, fog-laden atmosphere. The team’s patching choices are deliberate, favouring parallel processing and wet/dry blends to keep the soundscape immersive and unpredictable. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the scariest sounds are the ones that creep up on you slowly, rather than jump out from the shadows.