Can someone explain Sidechaining?

Andrix · Post by **Andrix** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:17 pm

Ive learned how to do it, but im not COMPLETLY sure what it does,
so i was wondering if someone could take the time to explain it, that would be great!
and yes ive google it, i'd rather ask experienced producers directly

- Andrix

Sheff · Post by **Sheff** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:21 pm

there was a big thread on it somewhere

id like to know too

samkablaam · Post by **samkablaam** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:32 pm

So you get what a compressor does? It just changes its output level depending on the input level? so put simply, loud peaks in, means smaller peaks out etc etc

Sidechaining means you are using another input as the control signal. So if you have a continuous pad through a compressor and you set the sidechain to monitor your kick channel, your pad will get compressed as each kick hits.

Sheff · Post by **Sheff** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:37 pm

thats sick...is it complicated?

therapist · Post by **therapist** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:50 pm

Sheff wrote:thats sick...is it complicated?

Lol, he just explained it. Once you've done it once it's really simple. Ducking the bass/synths with a kick that is, you can make it as complicated as you like. Have everything sidechaining something else and it sounds like someone is going mad on the faders.

Sheff · Post by **Sheff** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:53 pm

haha yeah i know, but i meant setting up the sidechain an all that

wub · Post by **wub** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:54 pm

therapist · Post by **therapist** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:55 pm

What do you use? I'm guessing it's fairly similar in logic/cubase etc. An empty/muted channel you send your triggers to (kicks, stabs whatever) and that channel can be set as a sidechain input on individual compressors.

Edit- er, yeah, all of that stuff above.

samkablaam · Post by **samkablaam** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:56 pm

depends on the compressor and daw you're using. In protools, if the compressor allows it, you select the sidechain input in the top left of the plugin window. logic is the top right.

Andrix · Post by **Andrix** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:10 pm

Thanks for quick and good answer, i def got it now!
I use FL Studio 10 and i use the peak controller.
So, from what ive understand; Sidechaining makes the bass lower when the kick hits?

wub · Post by **wub** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:14 pm

Andrix wrote:So, from what ive understand; Sidechaining makes the bass lower when the kick hits?

No, that's a specific type of sidechaining called Sidechain Compression.

Sidechaining itself is where the output of one track triggers an effect. So for Sidechain Compression, if you had a peak controller on the kick that triggered the compressor on the bassline, that would be Sidechain Compression.

If the peak controller on the kick was linked to the Reverb wet control on the snare (for example), this would be Sidechain Reverb, as the reverb effect on the snare would only be triggered when the kick hit.

brack3n · Post by **brack3n** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:24 pm

I do it with the peak controller linked to a fader to duck the volume of say a pad when a kick hits, is sidechaining using a compressor any better or are they just as effective methods as eachother?

wub · Post by **wub** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:27 pm

brack3n wrote:I do it with the peak controller linked to a fader to duck the volume of say a pad when a kick hits, is sidechaining using a compressor any better or are they just as effective methods as eachother?

Different techniques get different results. I generally use 1 of 3 techniques;

1) Peak controller linked to fader
2) Peak controller linked to compressor
3) SideKick VST - I've luckily got a previous version of this, before they started charging

therapist · Post by **therapist** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:41 pm

Sidechaining distortion wet/dry can get some weird effects.

Fused Productions · Post by **Fused Productions** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:48 pm

Shit Wub, you're the man. Mad respect for yah!

deadly_habit · Post by **deadly_habit** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:51 pm

see sig clip for sidechain compression example

nowaysj · Post by **nowaysj** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:20 pm

Electric_Head · Post by **Electric_Head** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 7:17 am

kick - send
bass - receive

Compress bass using receive as input bus.
Alter the ratio till the signal begins ducking the kick.
Adjust to suite. attack , release, etc.

XavierC · Post by **XavierC** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:03 pm

I use side chaining to allow the kick to push through the pad for a thumping effect

moki · Post by **moki** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:46 pm

There are external side chains and internal ones. Everyone here explained the external. Most compressors have internal side chains aswell, it will be a built in eq or filter that allows you to pick the frequencies that the compressor reacts to. great for mix buss compression because you can make it so it doesn't react to your bass keeping it from suffering from gain reduction.

Can someone explain Sidechaining?

Can someone explain Sidechaining?

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