TUFF KROWD: Sound Dissection: digital techniques with analog origin: Sidechain Compression

Staying on hardware vs software tip, I'd to talk about some prevalent digital techniques, their origins in the analog world, and how to achieve them at home in your DAW.

First up, is a no brainer: Sidechain Compression. Probably the most ubiquitous effect in modern dance music, it presents itself as a pleasant "pumping" or "breathing" on certain elements of a track, or sometimes the entire track.

A classic example of sidechain compression at work. When the kick drum comes in, note the way the dynamics of the track flow in and out in rhythm with it. NYCE.

So, what exactly is sidechain compression? First, you need to wrap your head around what a compressor actually does (trust me, you really do). It is a gain reduction circuit that is often used to even out the volume dynamics of audio material. It achieves this by using a level detector to determine the incoming level of the audio. You can think of this like the VU meter or the bar meter showing your output on the mixer/ master/ whatever. The signal detector

"listens" to the incoming signal and when it senses that the level of the signal has exceeded a level that you set (THRESHOLD), it applies gain reduction at the RATIO. When it applies this gain reduction is controlled by the ATTACK and RELEASE.

the Alesis 3630 - the hardware compressor repsonsible for most of Daft Punk's sidechain compression. $50 bucks on CL and you can DO IT LIVE!

Sidechain compression is a little different. Instead of the signal detector listening to the source material, it listens to the sidechain, or key input, usually the kickdrum. Sound engineers use this all the time, in a subtle way, to pull the bass down to make room for the kick. We use a slightly exaggerated version of this technique in dance music to fux with your earhole and make some nice pumping effects. Essentially it's a little automatic hand, jerkin' ur fader in time with the kick. Sexy.