Audiotool board archive

How to use sidechain on compression effect

birdsounds · started 2023-07-27 04:10 · updated 2026-05-13 13:44

I know you can do this to make sidechain easier instead of making a manual volume automation, but idk how.

Comments (5)

2023-07-27 04:48 · 2023-07-27

hook up whatever device you want through the your compressing device whether its the Compressor or Gravity device, and then hook up another device into the sidechain input and then it will put sidechain on the sound going through the first input

Adjust the threshold, ratio, and attack/release to your liking as well

2023-07-27 14:35 · 2023-07-27

The sidechain input can be thought of as a trigger input. If you want sound to be compressed (ducked) whenever a kick plays, for example, you can send a copy of the kick signal into the sidechain input to trigger the compressor to act on the main signal flowing through it.

To make a copy of the trigger signal, use a splitter, that way the original version of it can still end up in a centroid and be heard.

2023-07-27 22:00 · 2023-07-27

Thanks!

2026-05-13 13:26 · 2026-05-13

why does it double the sound?

Cal Lycus · reply
2026-05-13 13:44 · 2026-05-13

It doesn't. You are doing something incorrectly, but I'm not sure what exactly. My guess is that you split the signal and fed two copies of it into a mixer, rather than using a compressor and it's sidechain input.