You can draw curves, and make as many points in your envelope as you like.

It's extremely useful for creative effects, creating space, and getting the right pumping sound because you have full control over when your audio ducks, and when it comes back to full volume. You can change the attack and release settings, but it's not the same and using envelopes for this is far better in our eyes. This is something that can't be done in a compressor. However, sidechain plugins do have some benefits over using compression.įor instance, with sidechain plugins, you can completely control the shape of your volume automation envelope.

They both create the same effect, and whether you use a compressor to apply sidechain, or a sidechain VST, doesn't matter. One acts as an automatic fader, and the other squashes your audio signal together. The main differences between the two are that one uses volume automation to control levels, and the other uses compression for gain reduction. It applies compression to the track it's on, and is controlled by an incoming audio signal (sidechain input). Sidechain compression can be achieved with any compressor that has a sidechain input. Sidechain plugins use volume automation and envelopes to create a sidechain-like effect. What's The Difference Between Sidechain Compression & Sidechain Plugins? You can use sidechain compression for a pumping effect, to duck instruments out of the way, or on dynamic resonance suppression plugins/multiband compressors, to duck certain ranges of the problem the spectrum that is clashing. If you have instruments that are clashing with each other, you can use a sidechain to duck one slightly out of the way, creating space for the other. Sidechain compression is an extremely useful effect to have for mixing. Volume automation – creating the sidechain effect without compression, often using a sidechain VST.Creating space in specific frequency ranges – using multiband/dynamic resonance suppressors to sidechain problem frequencies.

Snare & entire mix – gives a short pocket of space for the Snare to cut through.

Vocals and Reverb – providing more clarity for the Vocals.

Vocals and Instruments – ducking the instrumentation out of the vocals creating more space.

Pumping effect – for EDM, RnB, Hip Hop & other genres.

Kick & Bass – ducking the bass out of the way of the kick to create low end space.

Here are some examples of where you can use sidechain compression in a mix:

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