Sidechaining? What and Why?

[redddog]

Please forgive me here but I seem to see more and more on side-chaining and I don't have a clue as to what it is.

Could someone walk me through this and please cover what it is as well as when you would use it?

Thanks for your patience.

[jsynth]

This is really an unrelated part of the forum.

Direct yourself to this thread

How do i use sidechain?

[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by redddog

Please forgive me here but I seem to see more and more on side-chaining and I don't have a clue as to what it is.

Could someone walk me through this and please cover what it is as well as when you would use it?

Thanks for your patience.

It´s mostly used in dynamic processors to my knowledge and can be useful if you would like someting else than the signal running thru the processor trigger it.

For example in a ducker where a signal would be sent thru a compressor but not itself triggering the device. Instead a second signal is used in the sidechain and this will trigger the compressor. A typical use could be sending bass thru the compressor and a kick drum in the sidechain, this way the bass would duck everytime the kick is present in the sidechain.

It´s also possible to use an eq in the sidechain, then boosting sertain frequencies will make the compressor extra sensitive to theese, for example making the compressor act like a de-esser. This could also work the otherway around where for example bass frequencies are rolled off in the sidechain and thereby the compressor will not react to theese as much wich can be useful if you have a bass heavy mix running thru it.

Hope it makes sence.

[redddog]

It does.

I'd read about it pertaining to a feature in a DAW so I assumed it was related to this forum. Please forgive my stupidity and thank you for pointing it out.

[azwun25]

i recently used the OtiumFX Compadre compressor..it sidechains well. Check out the demo!