How Sidechaining Works in a Recording Session | LANDR Mix Tips #12
4,704 views · Published 9 November 2018 · 1:44 · Indexed 23 September 2026
A sidechain is an additional input to an effect that isn’t part of its direct signal path. Subscribe to LANDR on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2BcY9US In dynamics processors like compressors and gates, the sidechain is an input to the detector portion of the effect. The detector controls what the compressor is “listening to” when it measures the input level of the signal. The original purpose of sidechain inputs was to insert an EQ into the detector. By using the EQ to selectively filter out low frequencies, you can change how the compressor reacts to that part of the spectrum. The lows will still get compressed, but now you can control exactly how much. Say you have a snare mic with a lot of hihat bleed. If your drummer hits the hihat with the same intensity as the snare, you won’t be able to use the gate’s threshold control to tell the gate when to open. But if you filter the high end out of the sidechain with an EQ, you can use the only the low frequencies present in the snare to trigger the gate. “Outside” kick mics often sound more natural and pleasing, but they can suffer from excessive bleed from the rest of the kit. By using the more isolated inside kick mic as the sidechain input to a gate on the “out” mic, you can dial in a much more accurate gate setting You can use the same technique with snare top and bottom mics. If you need to add some rhythmic interest to a static synth pad, put a gate plugin on it. Send a busy percussion track to the gate’s sidechain input and the individual hits will open the gate, creating a rhythmic patter Try blending in a bit of the dry signal along with the gate signal to make the effect less extreme. Say you want to add some space to a snare drum close mic. Try sending the snare mic to the sidechain input of a gentle expander on the drum room mics. Now everytime the snare hits, the room mic signal will get slightly louder, emphasizing the space of the snare. This can be an interesting substitute for snare reverb. Try these creative sidechain techniques to solve problems in your mix, or add something unique to your tracks. --- Learn How to Mix Kick and Bass With Sidechains : https://blog.landr.com/finally-learned-mix-kick-bass/ Try LANDR for free: https://www.landr.com/ Subscribe to LANDR on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2BcY9US Follow the LANDR blog and get the best tips, tools and tutorials for producers: https://blog.landr.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/landrmusic/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LANDRmusic/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LANDR_music Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/landr_music