Let’s make a simple example, so you can explore and understand the core technique. Then we hear the same kick and snare with those side-chained effects turned off. In this audio preview first we hear the kick and clap with the inline sidechained effects. By putting inline sidechains on sounds we can keep the mix tight but design sounds which are unique. Imagine a kick drum where only the tail is distorted, and imagine a snare which has lots of echo but you want it to stay punchy in your mix.

So if we carefully use side-chain on those effect sounds we can apply intense distortions or tone shaping only where needed – and create great new sounds. It’s possible to go further adding wild effects to your kicks such as flanging distorted reverbs, which would normally be a disaster and overwhelm the kick itself. Using sidechain you can shape the origin sound this way. Now imagine a massive reverb on a snare: it might be good to turn that reverb down when the snare plays to stop it becoming muddy, then turn it back up after the hit.

Using sidechains to shape the origin sound seems strange because usually you’d use sidechaining to duck the bass when the kick plays. We affect the origin sound, rather than another sound. We can use sidechaining to adjust the levels of any effects we apply to sounds. We usually side-chain one track against another, but we can side chain a track against itself! Or more accurately we can use a trigger on a track to affect the volume of effects on that same track to create unique effects. Get weird deep evolving sounds, kick drums, and self-sidechaining snares. How about an inline side-chained distortion on a kick’s reverb? These sidechain secrets help you create amazing unusual sounds. However, you can sidechain for other effects too.

Sidechain compression is a topic most producers know: for example sidechaining a kick against a bass.

How to sidechain in ableton