Topmusicanswers
Sidechain compression is a bit different. It is a type of compression where the effect level on one instrument is controlled by the volume level of another instrument. A common example would be making the compression level on a bass controlled by the output volume of the kick drum.
- Is sidechain compression necessary?
- How do I use sidechain compression?
- Who popularized sidechain compression?
- Is sidechain and parallel compression the same?
Is sidechain compression necessary?
It's pretty much always a preference, because the main reason to sidechain is to give the kick/snare more room. You can also sidechain certain frequencies of a sound to drop whenever another sound comes in, etc. But, with proper EQing, sidechaining isn't completely necessary. It's just really helpful.
How do I use sidechain compression?
Here's how to set up sidechain compression.
- Insert a compressor onto the bass track (select a compressor with a sidechain or key input).
- Select the kick drum audio as the sidechain input. ...
- Adjust the threshold and ratio controls so that the bass is compressed by the desired amount whenever the kick drum hits.
Who popularized sidechain compression?
It may shock you to learn that the initial applications for sidechain compression in the 1930s were not directed at making French filter house. Rather, it started with a film audio engineer named Douglas Shearer, who needed a way to tame the sibilance (the hard “s” sounds) of dialogue recordings.
Is sidechain and parallel compression the same?
Parallel compression adds focus and contrast to a signal where as side-chain compression is used for dynamic control of a specific element in a signal.
