Yeah, I do this in particular with the basses, below say 250-311Hz or so, it varies depending on the key of my project... I'll use sidechaining to cut the low end in other tracks to leave space for the kick.  It's similar to sidechain compression, but removes some of that "breathing" quality you can get from ducking your bass in time to your beat.


I was also recently reading a short book on mixing where it was suggested that you can move your bass out to the sides of your stereo spectrum if you want to leave room for your kicks, and I thought to myself "Hey, I bet I could sidechain that so that the low frequencies of my bassline move to the sides when the kick hits so that I am reducing the sound even less."


However, then it hit me - this wouldn't do anything at all in mono, so... I scrapped the idea.  Pity, though, it seemed like a sexy idea.  It makes me want to start having mono versions of my tracks for DJs to play in the clubs, and stereo versions for headphones and home stereos and such.

I'd think I'd want all the layers sidechained the same.

Not necessarily. You could have a part with both high and low frequencies in it that you don't actually want to sound like it's being sidechained, but it's fighting the kick in the lows for example, so what you do is duck the parts that actually interfere and leave the rest alone.

I love using multiband sidechaining as well as a similar technique by sidechaining the stereo and mono fields separately. If I have a vocal in mono I can sidechain it to the mono field of a background pad so the voice still has room to cut through and just pushes the pad to the side but still keeps it present

Quote from: iAmXan on January 14, 2016, 08:11:05 am

Anyone sidechain different ranges of frequencies?  Is it a common method?  I just picked it up recently and I feel like I just jumped a "level".  Great way to control your sidechain relationships.

What settings do you guys use/recommend?

For those not familiar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUyLopKxGZs

Hey bud, seems we have the same name. Let's fight.

Anyway, I could do this type of compression but why would I want only the low end compressed and not the other frequency bands if I'm doing like a big layered super saw, for example. I'd think I'd want all the layers sidechained the same.

Any particular examples of this in use?

I'm down, time and place?

Joking aside, the benefit of multiband sidechaining in one case is to preserve mid-high range content while cleaning the bottom end.  This works especially well with sounds like stabs for example.  I apply a higher threshold + ratio combination on my low range so that my stabs don't clutter the bottom end--and apply less on the higher end so that the snap/stab isn't ducking too much when the sidechain is activated.  The principle behind this is that sounds occupying the low end of the frequency spectrum will quickly conflict and cause muddiness, whereas you can "get away" with a lot of activity in the high end.  I immediately gained a "fuller" sound when I applied this technique.

Of course there are exceptions, as you say, where you want sidechaining to apply evenly.. and to that I say, stick with whatever works best..

SomeDude - How do you account for a mono soundfield when you do that?  It's something I had been toying with, as I mention above, but since I need my tracks to be playable in a club, I ended up scrapping the idea as "cool, but not usable to me."

I watched the video you posted, because i've never used "Multi-Band" Side-chaining before. Afterwards i attempted it myself in Ableton, my only question is when you apply the compression, its only being applied to the low end correct? I'm not suppose to apply it to the mids or highs, right ?

Quote from: Brotége on January 15, 2016, 06:13:13 am

when you apply the compression, its only being applied to the low end correct? I'm not suppose to apply it to the mids or highs, right ?

Once you set up your multiband group, you can sidechain as you wish.  You can most definitely apply it to mid or highs, it will depend on what you're going for.

EG the last mix I did, I used a vocal as the sidechain input to take out the upper mids from some pads... that kind of thing.