Summary of "how I sidechain"
The video explains in detail how the creator approaches sidechaining in music production, particularly in electronic music. Starting from the basics, sidechaining is described as a technique where a compressor or effect reacts to the audio from a different source than the one it is applied to—commonly used to create the "pumping" effect in EDM by having a pad or bassline duck in volume when the kick drum hits.
The creator then explores different methods of sidechaining:
- Basic compressor sidechaining: Using a compressor on a pad or synth that responds to the kick drum or drum loop, causing volume reduction based on the drum's amplitude.
- Manual Volume Automation: Automating volume by hand to duck the sound precisely when the kick or snare hits. This method is very precise but tedious.
- Volume Shaper Plugins: Using plugins like ShaperBox to automate volume ducking triggered by MIDI signals representing the kick and snare. This method is precise, instantaneous (no attack/release delay like compressors), and easily editable by copying MIDI patterns.
The creator also discusses fine-tuning the timing of the volume ducking by using track delay settings to shift the ducking slightly earlier (about 5 milliseconds) to ensure the kick/snare transients cut through cleanly without overlap. A slight fade-in on the volume automation curve prevents clicks caused by abrupt volume changes, especially important for sub-heavy bass sounds.
Beyond traditional sidechaining, the video introduces a more advanced technique called ring mod sidechaining:
- This method modulates the amplitude of all other sounds based on the waveform of the kick and snare, effectively subtracting their waveforms from the rest of the mix to prevent clipping and overlapping peaks.
- The ring modulator is fed a rectified version of the kick/snare signal (using a wave shaper plugin) via a sidechain input.
- This process creates a crunchy distortion effect but allows the kick and snare to cut through the mix more cleanly without clipping.
- The creator combines this ring mod sidechaining with the volume shaper method for optimal results in heavy electronic music.
The video also covers the technical setup in Ableton Live, including routing, sidechain inputs, using the compressor or gate's sidechain listen mode to route audio signals, and configuring the plugins properly. The creator uses free plugins like MeldaProduction’s MRingMod and MWaveshaper for this setup.
Finally, the creator advises that ring mod sidechaining is not suited for all types of music or sounds, as it can distort delicate audio like vocals. However, for heavy bass music genres like dubstep or drum and bass, the combination of ring mod sidechain and MIDI-triggered volume ducking works very well.
Speakers:
- The entire video is presented by one speaker, presumably the video creator (referred to as "Gag" at the start).
