With sidechaining...

[AFfriKkAaa]

I use the focusrite liquid mix for all my compression/EQing. Sidechaining is something I've known about for a while but never really know how to use properly...I read the article on the front page but that related to the Reason module...and I don't have Reason 3.0.

I did SOME digging around on the net to find out how to do it on the liquid mix and came across some forums that said you couldn't sidechain "externally" on the liquid mix. On the same thread they talked about upcoming software updates in May '07. It was a little outdated but I couldnt find anything more recent...

So my 1st question is does anyone now if and how you can external sidechain on the liquid mix?

I am assuming an "internal" sidechain means that you somehow sidechain a signal to itself(!?!)but from my understanding of sidechaining you need two signals for there to be a sidechain...so is my assumption or my understanding wrong?!

 

[mono]

usually u put a sidechain on 2 tracks, f.e. a kick and a bass. you make the kick trigger the basses sidechain, when the kick comes in, the bass gets compressed more. sidechaining a track with itself would be nothing else than normal compression i think.
i have a vstplug called sidekickv3, its free and they have a good tutorial on the website, very easy to use anyway.

 

[Shonsteez]

A common example of sidechaining is when u want your kick to cut through your mix more prominently...

You can apply this effect to any track in your session but it can get a little overkill so you should use it sparingly.

Say your Kick is on Track 1, and your Bass is on Track 2 or something different.
On your Bass track, Track 2 - Instantiate a compressor, in your case the liquid mix.
Next, there should be a place on the plugin to choose a sidechain input.
(The sidechain part of the compressor doesn't work without assigning a separate track to it.)
So now u would choose Track 1 (KICK) on the compressor on Track 2 in wherever your sidechain dialog is.

After you've set up your signal flow correctly you should be able to play back both the kick and the bass and be able to hear the bass begin to duck out every time the kick sounds on its separate track.

From there, u just adjust your compression settings to accommodate the flavor your going for.
Basically, more agressive settings on your compressor will cause your track to pump and duck more which can sound like shit if you over do it so just be easy on the settings...

The whole idea is that by sidechaing your bass to your kick like in my example, your helping make more room in your mix for your drums to hit harder or whatever your sidechaing in your case.

 

[AFfriKkAaa]

Safe thanks for the info...& thank the internet for free plug-ins! These things are a gift and a curse for me cos now I'm gna have to go through all my recent beats and get those kicks up to par...

 

[Shonsteez]

I mean, thats just one example man, you can literally use that effect on anything just be sparingly and choose the right tracks...Some people even sidechain different tracks to their vocals similar to the kick example so that their vox stand out more....
Just make sure u dont let your track start to sound like its getting sucked into the abyss!

 

[mono]

yea, i rarely have situations needful of sidechaining. you hear it a lot on electronic beats recently. but afrikkaaa has some serious productions on his myspace. i think the man knows what hes doing.

you use it a lot shon?

 

[Shonsteez]

Naw u beat me to it...I dont use it very often either....I use it as a last resort to make my kick and snare cut through usually and thats about it.
I didnt mean nothin by the info i dropped tho in regards to his prod skills...I was just tryin to be as concise as possible so he gets how it works.

 

[mono]

yeah sure, dont get me wrong. i was just curious, looked up his page and hes got some nice joints there. didnt mean anything

 

[AFfriKkAaa]

It's all gud - safe for the help shonteez, and cheers mono...you both got some real shabby beats on your pages too!