The Ghost Note Audio Swirls is a stereo multi-effect pedal that packs three effects into one box: a Tri-Stereo chorus emulation, a micro pitch-shifter and an aggressive, VCA-style compressor. It sits in the territory of multi-effects pedals but is built around one specific combination, aimed at players who want a thick, wide stereo chorus sound with compression and pitch texture behind it1.
The three effects
The chorus is a fairly accurate emulation of the Dyno-my-piano Tri-Stereo chorus, which Ghost Note Audio tuned against a Fulltone TERC unit. That multi-voice stereo design is the reason the pedal runs in a wide stereo field, and it is the heart of the Swirls sound1.
The pitch shifter is based on the classic synchronous overlap-add methodology, used in units from Eventide, Digitech and many others. Ghost Note Audio describes it as a micro pitch-shifter: it produces a thick, chorus-like sound, but without the movement of a traditional chorus, caused by the low frequency oscillation. In other words, it gives you the density of a chorus without the sweep, which makes it a different tool from a conventional chorus or a vibrato pedal1.
The compressor is a very fast and aggressive, feed-forward, RMS-detection design, loosely based on the dbx 160x. It sits in front of the chorus and pitch shifter in the signal chain, and adds that signature pop to the sound, especially noticeable when playing. Players comparing it with standalone compressor pedals should note the fixed placement: it always feeds the other two effects1.
Control and editing
All of the parameters present in the three effects can be controlled externally via Expression or MIDI, so the pedal fits into a larger MIDI-controlled board1. You can also connect the pedal to your computer and use Ghost Note's Web-Based Editor to control real-time parameters, perform firmware updates, swap out different effects and more1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review, published on 7 February 2026, found the three effects work well together1:
"once you start playing around and mixing up the parameters, you'll see how seamlessly they all blend with one another"
The same review noted that while you can run Swirls in mono, the stereo spread here is why you buy pedals like this in the first place, and described the range as running from a hint of effect to out-of-this-world sonic creations1.
Videos
Ghost Note Audio
Michael Nielsen - Big Hairy Guitars
Leon Todd
Questions
Does the Ghost Note Audio Swirls run in mono?
Yes. Pedal of the Day notes that you can run Swirls in mono, but that the stereo spread is the point of the pedal: it runs in a wide stereo field, and the reviewer describes that spread as why you buy pedals like this in the first place. Players with mono rigs can still use it, but the Tri-Stereo chorus design is aimed at a stereo setup.
Where does the compressor sit in the Swirls signal chain?
The compressor sits in front of the chorus and pitch shifter inside the pedal. According to Pedal of the Day, it adds a signature pop to the sound, especially noticeable when playing. That ordering is fixed by the pedal's design rather than being re-routable.
Can the Swirls be controlled by MIDI or an expression pedal?
Yes. All of the parameters present in the three effects can be controlled externally via expression or MIDI, according to Pedal of the Day. That makes the pedal usable with a switching or MIDI setup, and an expression pedal can sweep any of the real-time parameters.
What is the web-based editor for the Swirls?
Ghost Note Audio's Web-Based Editor is a browser tool you use by connecting the pedal to your computer. Pedal of the Day reports it can control real-time parameters, perform firmware updates, swap out different effects and more, so the pedal's internal configuration can be changed without panel controls alone.
What is the Swirls chorus modeled on?
The chorus is a fairly accurate emulation of the Dyno-my-piano Tri-Stereo chorus, which Ghost Note Audio tuned against a Fulltone TERC unit, according to Pedal of the Day. The Tri-Stereo chorus is a multi-voice stereo design, which is why the pedal runs in a wide stereo field.
How does the Swirls pitch shifter work?
The pitch shifter is based on the classic synchronous overlap-add methodology, the approach used in units from Eventide, Digitech and many others, according to Pedal of the Day. It is described as a micro pitch-shifter that produces a thick, chorus-like sound without the movement of a traditional chorus, caused by the low frequency oscillation.
Sources (1)
- Ghost Note Audio Swirls Chorus Pitch Shifter Compressor, Pedal of the Day, 2026-02-07
