Sidechain Compression and Bass Ducking
SIDECHAIN COMPRESSION AND BASS DUCKING
INTRODUCTION
In this post we will discuss the fundamentals of sidechain compression: what it is, how it works, when it’s used and why it can be a remarkably creative approach to solving problems in your low-end.
WHAT IS SIDECHAIN COMPRESSION AND BASS DUCKING?
Sidechain compression in its simplest form is using one audio source to trigger the compression of another audio source. For example, imagine you have a bass guitar track and a kick track that are very similar in their frequency range, and when played together one is either swallowed up by the other or the overall low end just becomes too messy due to phase interference. Well, if you were to put a compressor with a sidechain feature onto the bass track and feed your kick drum into that compressor’s sidechain input, then essentially every time the kick drum kicks you can set the bass track compressor to duck the bass out of the way (compress it by a few dB), allowing the kick drum through without phase interference. This approach is commonly referred to as bass ducking and it’s a popular method of production in modern Dance and Hip Hop music.
SIDECHAIN COMPRESSION AS AN EFFECT
Another similar approach to sidechain compression widely used in House music is what is popularly referred to as the “push and pull” effect. Essentially, this is the same technique as bass ducking, only the kick drum is now being used to duck out various other elements in the mix, such as pads, synths, vocals, etc. This creates a pumping effect that is often used side by side with bass ducking in modern dance tracks.
HOW TO USE SIDECHAIN COMPRESSION IN YOUR DAW
Now that you know how sidechain compression works and some of its applications, we’ve provided links to video instructions on how to achieve sidechain compression within your personal digital audio workstation (DAW). Keep in mind however, that not every DAW may support side chaining and many DAWs will not come stocked with a compressor plugin that includes an added sidechain feature; so you may be required to purchase one. In the unlikely case that your DAW does not support side chaining there are a few third party compressor plugins that offer solutions to that, such as dB Audioware’s sidechain compressor:
http://www.db-audioware.com/sidechain-compressor.html
For more information, visit our mastering studio website.
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Hey, thanks for the article. Side-compression is definitely an art you have to master. Once you get the hang of it though its all good. Cubase uses from 4.5 and up have finally had access to the wonderful world of SC.
I’m amazed at how much SC is being used now in Drum and Bass music and to be honest I can’t see it slowing down.
Thanks for the read.
dauntless