Sidechaining compression is a very powerful tool that allows the user to control the dynamics of a source. This technique adds space, rhythm, energy, and separation to a mix. In addition, it involves threshold, ratio, attack, and release times. When using sidechain, the user can tell the compressor to monitor and control the level and volume of a different channel or instrument. When the sidechain gets louder, the compression holds down on the channel to which it is applied.
Sidechaining: What It Does
Sidechaining brings out vocals to make sure the listeners hear the voice of the singer all the backing tracks. Moreover, it also isolates specific frequencies through a multiband compressor. However, we don’t recommend you to apply the sidechain effect to an entire track.
Producers and musicians typically use sidechain compressors via software plugins or presets on different tracks. Even more so, they apply these effects in a different fashions. For instance, some users run two different forms of sidechain compression on the same mix.
Conclusion
As a final note, sidechain is not necessary, but it is quite helpful. It gives the kick/snare a little more room, so when sidechaining specific frequencies of a sound, one sound drops as another one arrives. Many professional producers don’t seem to use sidechain quite often because, with proper equalization, sidechain isn’t really necessary.
