Should you sidechain sub bass?
There are multiple ways to use sidechain compression to help instruments cut through the mix. One of the most effective combination is to duck your lowest frequencies (sub bass) every time the kick is playing. This will ensure there is enough room for the kick to punch through, whilst keeping the sub under control.
Should you sidechain your 808 and kick?
If your kick has a sharp transient, you don’t need one on the 808 too. Get rid of the transient on the 808, and the two tracks will get out of each other’s way. The kick will provide the initial impact, while the 808 will cover the sustain and body. You can use sidechain compression to make this happen.
What is a sidechain trigger?
Sidechaining is the act of sending a signal from one channel to another to be used as an input trigger. However, unlike a normal send, a sidechain does not transfer sound. Often considered a more advanced technique, it has a multitude of uses but is misunderstood by many.
Is sidechain compression necessary?
Sidechain compression is a common “advanced” mixing technique. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Should I use sidechain compression here?,” the answer is “Give it a shot!” It uses are somewhat particular, but sidechaining generally creates more separation, more rhythm, or more energy and excitement.
How to use sidechain compression to make your kick drums sound better?
If your sidechain compression is subtle enough, you can make your kick pop out of the mix a bit more without making any noticeable difference to the bass. Or you might want to sidechain compress more. Besides allowing the kick to cut through the mix more, of course, using more sidechain compression may make your mix sound more modern.
What’s the idea of sidechain compression in music?
The idea behind sidechain compression is that you briefly lower the volume of your bass part whenever the kick drum comes in. That gets the bass out of the way for just long enough to hear at least the attack of the kick drum clearly.
How does side chaining affect the sound of a kick?
If your cabling matches the screenshot at the bottom of the previous page, you should now hear the full mix and the separated kick with the side-chaining in full effect. Each time the kick sounds the rest of the mix ‘gets out of the way’ making the kick sound much louder.
Can you play kick and bass at the same time?
You’ll probably want your bass and kick to play at the same time at least sometimes—they often sound really good together. The idea behind sidechain compression is that you briefly lower the volume of your bass part whenever the kick drum comes in.