Sidechain Compression

[podonnell]

Hi,

Learning this technique and curious what I can use that's already built in, versus having to go out and find some VSTs.

I'm trying to make one of those pulsating sounds on a synth, where the volume goes up and down rhythmically, typically to the beat of a kick drum.

I have started by setting up a ME80 instrument and added a 'volume' audio controller, tied to a Studio Drums that is a rhythmic kick, but it doesn't sound great. https://ibb.co/k9cfXBn


Is there a better controller I could be using for this? I see an LFO as well, but there's like 90 parameters I can control, not sure which would be best. I also can't seem to link this to another track.

Thanks!

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

The LFO goes at a set rate (but it can be synched with the project).

Traditional sidechaining is done with a compressor. What if you use audio control with a compressor or other effect?

Greg

[podonnell]

Hey Greg,

Sorry just getting back around to this now. Trying this out -- I've got an audio controller on the track that I want the effect on. I have that linked to a Synth Electric Bass that is acting like a metronome. I have a long list of parameters to control.

1) Does this all sound right so far?
2) Which one of these parameters would you recommend?

https://i.ibb.co/9cL7r03/image.png

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

Is there a volume parameter? (I don't think your screenshot shows all the parameters).

Or you could automate a filter cutoff or something.

Greg

[podonnell]

Volume is definitely the right option here it seems. Just not getting the best effect with a synth bass driving the audio control.

Perhaps there's a better way to automate volume steadily going up and down? I came across sidechain compression as the primary way. Basically I just want to give a specific instrument a pulsating, fade in / fade out kind of sound.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

What about the LPF cutoff parameters?

Or tweak knobs on the instrument's interface until you find the effect you want, then sidechain that parameter.

Greg

[cactus-head]

Here's an idea and pretty simple to implement without needing to sidechain: If you are looking for a controlled volume swell and fade (sort of like a tremolo) you can use the TB MultiFX effect that comes with Mixcraft. There's a couple of LFOs in there and the effect can be synced to beat. There's a default preset called tremolo that I think will do what you want.

I made a quick test. In the screen shot, check out the Wet Out under the MIxer and the settings under LFO 1. The output gain is 100% and the sync is 1/1beat so it swells and falls on each beat in the example. The Wet out is controlling the depth of the effect. The higher the Wet out the more obvious the volume changes.

For those tracks you want to steadily swell/fade you might want to group them under a submix and put the effect on the parent track.

If it's just a simgle bass track then you can put the effect on that track. Experiment with the beat ratio to try quick and slow swells. Change the wave type from Sine to other choices and see what you get. Cos in this example, will emphasize the down beat while Sine is a little softer on the down beat. Wanna get wild? Mix in some of LFO 2 to get some syncopated volume rhythms.

mixcraft tb multifx volume pulse.JPG (70.41 KiB) Viewed 5056 times

[podonnell]

@cactus-head - This is so perfect! Thank you so much for a wonderful example. I just put it on the settings you mentioned and its very close to what I am looking for. Time to play around a bit, but this is definitely much easier than trying to learn the sidechain compression effect. So many ways to make sound do what you want, it's overwhelming!

Thank you so much again!

[Banjostar]

If you are making a four to the floor track you can use this free VST https://www.caelumaudio.com/CaelumAudio/?Page=FluxMini2.

It can use a sidechain input too if you don't have the kick on the beat.