We have collected for you the top 8 VST plugins Envelope Shaper according to PluginBoutique. VST list navigation: Evade Dodge Pro Duck Laser VolumeShaper 6 Oxford Envolution Native MWaveShaperMB. Can be used as a VST (2 or 3) to AU wrapper, a VST (2 or 3) to AAX wrapper or an AU to AAX wrapper. Honestly, we can’t think of any reason not to own this baby! Available for Windows (32/64 bit VST/VST3 and AAX) and Mac OSX (32/64 bit VST/VST3/AU/AAX, 10.7 or higher needed). Formats: Windows 7 or 8/Mac OS 10.8 or later, 32-/64-bit, AU/VST Demo Conditions: Fully functional with no time limit, but limited to one instance per song and the save function is disabled. Drop this on a DAW track, and Kickstart immediately applies sidechain-style compression to that track.
From pop to hip-hop to sound design to heavy techno, sidechaining is an essential tool for modern production. Even if you don’t think you know it, you’ve heard it: it’s that pumping sound when the kick drum hits and everything else makes way. In this series, David Abravanel takes us on a journey through the history and applications of sidechaining, with some tips to boot.
It’s this pumping sound (Stardust – “Music Sounds Better With You”)
Following the methods they used in our ‘Making of the Shift series‘ video, we’re delighted to announce the arrival of ‘FWRD’ a free sample pack featuringa variety of raw sources recorded from a Porsche Carrera S. FWRD contains One Shot Samples & Loops, all of them created by recording the Porsche and further tweaking the recordings. RDGAudio-SideChainer-1.0-Win32-Setup-VST.zip,MD5:06b504b47d9a96058fe04c,free virus scan is a free online scan service, utilizing various anti-virus programs. Looking for an easy to use sidechain emulator? Armando Montanez has you covered! Available to download free in VST and AU plugin formats for PC and Mac.
First impressions of compression
Dynamics processing – especially compression – is so ubiquitous now that it’s almost novel to take a step back and look at where it came from. In the early days of recording, before DAWs and before even multitrack tape, recordings were done live, with the only kind of editing amounting to doing another take. And the ficklest instrument of all is the human voice. Consistency in vocal takes isn’t easy – performers need to maintain the right position in relation to a stationary microphone and be mindful of volume, both of which run counter to delivering an animated performance. Combine wide dynamic range (the gap between the loudest and softest sounds) with high noise floors of vinyl and tape media and you’d often have brilliant singers delivering unusable takes.
Enter the compressor. By making loud sounds softer, the compressor allows a producer to boost the level of a track, thus narrowing the dynamic range.
If you’re new to using compression or just want to review, here are some of the key terms:
•Threshold: the dividing level – sounds louder than this level are attenuated according to the ratio, while sounds softer than this level are left alone.
•Ratio: the intensity of the compression for signals above the threshold. For example, at a ratio of 2:1, a signal that is 2dB above the threshold will be attenuated by 1dB. At a ratio of 10:1, that same signal will be attenuated by 1.8dB. A limiter is simply a compressor with a ratio of infinity:1, such that the signal never rises above the threshold.
•Peak / RMS: this determines how the compressor perceives the loudness of the trigger signal. While RMS (root mean square) is a representation of the general loudness, peak responds immediately to current peaks. In Live 10’s meters, peak is shown in dark green while RMS is shown in bright green.
•Knee: determines the onset of the compression. A completely “hard” knee uses the threshold as a sharp “on/off” switch for compression, while a “soft” knee fades in the compression – such that signals below the threshold are gradually attenuated, while the full ratio isn’t reached until above the threshold. You can see the knee shape from which this parameter derives its name in the Live 10 Compressor by selecting transfer curve view.
A “soft” knee in Live 10’s Compressor.
So, compression was born and dynamics could be tamed for the first time. It should be noted that early compressors had their quirks – some of which are highly prized today, but which make them unsuitable for more precise applications. The Teletronix LA-2A, for example, does not feature a ratio control, while tube-based compressors such as the Fairchild 670 introduced nonlinear distortions. If you’re looking for this vintage flavor in your compression, Live 10 features the Glue Compressor, a component-level model of a legendary analog bus compressor from Solid State Logic.
Ssssssidechain
It may shock you to learn that the initial applications for sidechain compression in the 1930s were not directed at making French filter house. Rather, it started with a film audio engineer named Douglas Shearer, who needed a way to tame the sibilance (the hard “s” sounds) of dialogue recordings. Sidechaining was born when Shearer conceived of a compressor with a “side” signal chain (separate to the main trigger signal) with an EQ slapped on it – rather than evenly compressing the incoming signal, this “de-esser” would only be triggered when the specific sibilant sounds appeared.
The “De-esser” preset in Live 10’s Compressor – notice the EQ portion of the sidechain section.
While traditional compression has a signal affected by its own trigger (i.e. the louder it gets, the more compression is applied), sidechaining uses an external (or processed) signal as a trigger for the compression.
In the decades that followed the invention of sidechaining, it was used primarily as an effect for voiceover – when a song drops in volume while a radio DJ speaks, or the muzak quiets down for someone at a grocery store to make an announcement, that’s sidechaining in action. In fact, that’s a specific effect of sidechaining, known as “ducking”: this is when one audio signal is reduced proportional to the level of another audio signal.
Air reference the use of ducking on the radio as a 'DJ' sings along towards the end of 'Radio #1'
Cr-SMACK-ash
The musical history of sidechaining would be incomplete without sidestepping briefly to overcompression. Sidechaining isn’t the only way to accomplish ducking effects – compress a signal heavily enough, and you’ll hear certain elements dominate the narrow dynamics to the extent that other instruments sound muted. In 1966, The Beatles freaked their share of minds with the psychedelic “Tomorrow Never Knows” – but while John’s spiritual lyrics and Paul’s wild tape loops received the most acclaim, it was Ringo’s drumming, compressed to a pancake by engineer Geoff Emerick, that looked to the future of percussion. Listen to the white noise-esque din of the cymbals, broken up by the smack of the kick and snare:
This overcompressed sound became a hallmark of rock and roll and funk, and birthed the concept of using compression not just as a utility, but as an effect.
Finally, French Touch
If you’re familiar with sidechaining, you’ve probably been waiting patiently for this article to address the pumping sound of French Touch. Built on samples of vintage funk and pop songs run through filters and phasers, sidechaining served a practical purpose in turning sampled music into something new. If you’ve got a sample that you want to place prominently in the mix, but you also want the kick from your drum machine to be clearly audible, sidechaining is the way to go – here’s Daft Punk working this process with a sample from Karen Young’s “Hot Shot”:
Daft Punk – “Indo Silver Club”
Daft Punk and their peers – such as Motorbass and Cassius – created a fun monster with this style, resulting in pumping pop hits like Eric Prydz’ “Call On Me”. When it comes to French Touch, the kick is king. With such extreme settings (low thresholds and high ratios), you could pile on the synths and samples without worrying about the kick getting lost in a mushy mix.
It bears mention here that, despite all the legends about expensive gear, in the case of Daft Punk, their first two classic albums Homework and Discovery relied on the consumer-priced Alesis 3630 compressor for pump. It’s all about what you do with what you have, really!
Fat Beats
The 90s saw pioneers of sampling pushing new gear to greater lengths for fatter tracks. While early hip hop revolved around live bands playing funk instrumentals, and the mid-80s favored jazzy loop diggers like Stetsasonic’s Prince Paul or harsh minimalists like Rick Rubin, the 90s made way for greater diversity, including claustrophobically banging beats. When it comes to influence, there’s no one more important to the legacy of pumping hip hop than J Dilla.
J Dilla – “Two Can Win“
In his tragically short lifetime, J Dilla mastered the art of soulful beats that gurgle and pop through the speakers. While sidechaining might not have been a favored trick in his technical arsenal, overcompression was present, and resulted in samples ducking kicks of a butter level that no one else seems to quite match (though Dilla’s friend and collaborator Madlib comes close).
In the 00s, Dilla’s influence could be felt directly on a new pack of beatmakers thinking outside the box.
Flying Lotus – “Tea Leaf Dancers”
In the FlyLo track above, everything ducks the kick – even the vocals, resulting in short-cut words. Sidechaining wasn’t just an effect, it was a creative choice to subvert expectations and make a track respire. Even the kick itself seems to be swallowed, which suggests that perhaps FlyLo put a sidechain on the master – an unorthodox but highly effective move.
Weirder, harder
Once an effect takes hold, it’s only a matter of time until someone abuses it to create a new level of effect (see: auto-tune & Cher). When it comes to sidechaining it didn’t take long – try not to hyperventilate to the organs in this Autechre track from 2001:
Autechre – “Pen Expers”
Similarly, artists like Amon Tobin, Andy Stott, and Emptyset found ways to build breathing tracks around sidechain compression. Going even further, UK producer Actress asked what happens when you heavily sidechain a track with a kick and then remove the kick itself from the final product:
Actress – “Ascending”
Not to be left out, producers like Surgeon, Audion, and Paula Temple put the hard “ch” in Techno by sidechaining whooshing noise effects with massive industrial kicks and percussion.
Paula Temple – “Colonized”
Pop goes the sidechain
With the ‘10s ushering in the age of cross-pollination among pop genres, it was inevitable that sidechaining would grow out from EDM and hip hop into the mainstream. Whether it’s Araabmuzik taking on Deadmau5 and Kaskade, Clams Casino & Soulja Boy, or the bleeding edge of lo-fi rap with JPEGMAFIA, sidechaining is as common to the language of music in 2018 as the human voice itself.
JPEGMAFIA – “Baby I’m Bleeding”
Why is sidechaining so popular? The easy answer is “loudness and computing power”. If you think back to the dawn of digital recording, instruments still had to be played one at a time. Additionally, early computers that could generate audio couldn’t sustain too many tracks or effects – so stacking 10 lush synths in a row just wasn’t a possibility. Today, you can create a maximal sound that would make the THX theme blush from any laptop…and then have it all duck a fat kick, of course.
Like other pieces of the musical vocabulary, sidechaining facilitates expression – whether that’s pressure, claustrophobia, the vibe of a club soundsystem, or playing with psychoacoustic expectations. In part two of this feature, we’ll look at some standard ways to sidechain, and some truly experimental ideas.
Want to stay up to date with us?
For more news, blog posts and videos, sign up for the Ableton Newsletter.
In this roundup, we look at six alternative sidechain compression plugins that offer immediate results without the need to set up a compressor triggered by an external audio source.
What is Sidechain Compression?
Sidechain compression is an essential mixing technique used to create space in a mix so other elements are heard more clearly or can be applied creatively to add that signature ‘Pumping’ effect, create rhythmic gating effects, and add movement to static sounds.
Sidechain compression is achieved by using an audio source to trigger a compressor placed on another source to attenuate the volume of the audio being played. For example, one of the most common uses of sidechain compression is using a kick drum to trigger a compressor on a bass track to quickly duck the volume each time the kick drum plays allowing it to cut through the mix with more impact. This vital mixing technique creates space by removing bass frequencies that could conflict with the low frequencies of the kick making it sound less powerful. Sidechain compression is also used for various other purposes to treat all types of audio sources in musical ways.
Although sidechain compression is fairly simple to set up, it can often be a tedious process that can become inconvenient when your workflow is in high gear. To alleviate the setup process and keep the creative train rolling we rounded up six alternative sidechain compression plugins that offer immediate results without any audio routing or need for external audio sources.
Xfer | LFOTool
LFOTool is an effect utility plugin developed by Xfer Records that allows users to sculpt custom waveshape curves to modulate volume to create effects such tremolo, auto-pan, trance-gate, wobbles, as well as simulate sidechain compression with minimal effort. LFOTool can also generate MIDI CC messages to control other instruments, effects, or external hardware. Equipped with dozens of presets, this handy tool is capable of achieving desired results quickly, or you can shape your own curves with the customizable point+tension-curve editor which is switchable via MIDI notes or automation to add expressive movement to your sounds. Read more at Xfer Records
Cableguys | VolumeShaper
VolumeShaper is an extremely flexible tool that lets you shape the levels of any audio signal in pinpoint detail. VolumeShaper provides a visual approach to volume shaping to create musical effects such as multiband sidechain compression simulation, creative gating, tempo-synced stutters and tremolo, precise sample-sculpting, and bit-crushing effects. VolumeShaper features multiband waveform-based editing, a comprehensive selection of preset curves, an oscilloscope, a big spectrum view and a selection of presets. It also runs samples in sync with your DAW, in Hz mode up to the audible range or retriggered via MIDI. Read more at Cableguys
Nicky Romero | Kickstart
Drop Kickstart on any track and this effective plugin will immediately apply sidechain-style compression to provide space and definition or give your sound a rhythmic advantage. Designed by Nicky Romero and Cableguys, who also make the more feature-rich VolumeShaper, Kickstart features a big Mix control, 16 hand-crafted modulation curves, a precise oscilloscope, and can run synced or retriggered via MIDI, with loop and one-shot modes all available on a streamlined interface. Read more at Kickstart
Vengeance | Multiband Sidechain
Multiband Sidechain by Vengeance is a feature-rich plugin that offers smooth, high-quality sidechain simulation. This powerful tool gives you ultimate control over shaping volume curves in a convenient and detailed interface. Use this tool creatively to sculpt your sounds or to cleanup the audio spectrum. Multiband Sidechain features a massive selection of pumpin’ dance presets, two independent sidechain channels for low and high frequencies, three filter types to separate the bands, a unique grafic interface, and a configurable main display with eight predefined scenes. In addition, the sidechain effect can be triggered with audio signals, MIDI notes or host sync. Read more at Vengeance
Sidechain Vst Free
Waves | OneKnob Pumper
Designed for achieving an instant ducking effect, the OneKnob Pumper simulates sidechain compression, saving you the need to route the kick track to the sidechain input of a compressor. This extremely handy and easy-to-use plugin is ideal for making either your entire mix or individual tracks pump with the beat. Get immediate results with little effort. Read more at Waves
Ableton Live | Auto Pan
Ableton Live’s Auto Pan device can easily be set up to simulate sidechain compression and add that pumping effect you’re looking for. Auto Pan does a great job adding stereo width and movement to your sounds, but it can also be used to create gate style stutter effects or duck the volume to clear frequencies, so your kick drum strikes through the mix. Configuring Auto Pan to simulate sidechain compression is achieved by setting the Phase control to ’0.00′ which creates a single waveform that modulates amplitude. Once the Phase is set, you can fine-tune the effect by selecting an LFO Waveform and adjusting the Rate, Shape, and Amount to control how much of the effect is being applied.
Ableton Live Producer Certificate Program
About This Program
At Dubspot our world-class instructors provide the most complete and cutting-edge Ableton Live learning experience. The Ableton Live Producer Certificate Program is the flagship of our music training. After completing this program, you will leave with a portfolio of original tracks, a remix entered in an active contest, a scored commercial to widen your scope, and the Dubspot Producer’s Certificate in Ableton Live.
Sidechainer Vst Free Download
This program is about learning Ableton Live by going through the entire process of being an artist, by developing your own sound through a series of sketches and experimentation. You will also learn the ins and outs of this powerful software through a series of exercises designed to help you master the steps involved in producing your own music. After a level of getting familiar with the tools that Ableton has to offer, you will then develop your sonic ideas into full-length tracks. You will be exposed to a variety of approaches to arrangement and composition, storytelling techniques, ways of creating tension and drama in your music. At the end of the day, it is the sum total of your choices as an artist that define your sound, and levels 2 – 6 will give you the experience of actually completing tracks to add to your portfolio.
What’s Included
- Ableton Live Level 1: Beats, Sketches, and Ideas
- Ableton Live Level 2: Analyze, Deconstruct, Recompose, and Assemble
- Ableton Live Level 3: Synthesis and Original Sound Creation
- Ableton Live Level 4: Advanced Sound Creation
- Ableton Live Level 5: Advanced Effect Processing
- Ableton Live Level 6: Going Global with your Music
Overview
- Dubspot’s complete Ableton course load: six levels/48 class sessions
- 132 hours of hands-on instruction
- Additional lab hours to work on assignments in Dubspot’s onsite facilities
- 24/7 access to Dubspot Online’s Ableton Live course videos
- Access to the course videos for one year after course completion
Additional Information
Visit the Ableton Live course page for detailed information on this programhere.
If you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.