Kick and Snare Sidechains
Berlin-based mixer and producer Fabio Machado shares his favorite sidechaining insights from Dan Braunstein, Joey Sturgis, Will Carson, and Jaycen Joshua - powerful techniques that have elevated his drum mixes and might do the same for you.
URM Academy
Making kicks punchy with sidechain compression
Dan Braunstein demonstrates how to achieve a punchy kick and better separation in a mix using sidechain compression with the FabFilter Pro-C 2 on bass. By sending the kick signal to the compressor's sidechain input, Braunstein ensures that the bass ducks out of the way, allowing the kick to cut through the mix with clarity and impact. He starts with extreme settings and dials them back to achieve 3-6 dB of gain reduction. This technique enhances the mix's overall movement and clarity, making the kick more prominent without overwhelming other elements. Braunstein also uses the FabFilter Pro-Q 3 to EQ the kick and bass, deciding whether the bass should occupy the sub frequencies and the kick the low mids, or vice versa. He ultimately prefers the kick to dominate the low end, giving the bass more harmonic presence. This strategic frequency separation reduces muddiness and enhances the mix's overall balance.
URM Academy
Using Trackspacer for punchier drums
Joey Sturgis demonstrates using Wavesfactory Trackspacer to achieve punchier drums by enhancing the kick and snare's presence in a mix. Inspired by the key spikes technique, Sturgis creates "Track Spacer Blips" by sending ultra-short, one-millisecond bursts of the kick and snare to a sidechain input on Trackspacer. This setup allows the plugin to duck the rest of the mix momentarily, giving the kick and snare a clear, focused moment to shine. By setting the Trackspacer's attack and release to the fastest possible settings and adjusting the effect to around 4-5%, Sturgis ensures the effect remains subtle yet impactful, especially on small speakers. This technique prevents frequency masking, allowing the kick and snare to cut through the mix without overpowering it, resulting in a competitive drum sound.
URM Academy
Sidechaining for a bigger snare room
In this session, Dan Braunstein focuses on using sidechain compression to enhance the snare room sound in a mix. He demonstrates how adjusting the attack and release settings on the sidechained compressor allows the snare's decay to shine through. The key is going for a longer attack time, so that the ducking makes room for the snare's decay rather than the initial snap. Dan sets up the sidechain to duck bass and guitars when the snare hits, allowing the room sound to pop through. Dan suggests sourcing the sidechain signal from the most direct snare track rather than the entire snare group, ensuring that the room's ambiance is effectively highlighted without overwhelming the mix. This approach is part of his broader strategy to make drums punch through the mix with clarity and presence.
URM Academy
Low-end clarity through kick-bass sidechaining
Will Carson demonstrates his approach to using sidechain compression in the low-end, drawing inspiration from Jason Joshua, to craft a powerful, punchy low-end while maximizing headroom and loudness. By applying the Oeksound Soothe plugin on the bass bus and all low-end elements like 808s, Carson ensures the kick drum cuts through the mix. This technique ducks the bass whenever the kick hits, allowing the sub frequencies of the kick to dominate without overwhelming the mix, thus preventing muddiness. This method is essential for achieving a punchy, clear low-end that feels substantial without actually increasing the low-end content, optimizing headroom and overall loudness in the mix.
Mix with the Masters
Sidechaining kick and 808: Clean low end, loud mixes
Jaycen Joshua demonstrates the power of sidechain compression and multi-band compression to achieve a clean and loud low-end mix, particularly when working with bass, kick, and 808 elements. By using the Oeksound Soothe plugin, he effectively controls unwanted frequencies and ensures clarity and separation between these low-end components. Joshua emphasizes the importance of identifying the main kick drum and removing unnecessary layers to avoid clutter. He duplicates the kick track, placing it just below the bass, and uses it to trigger the sidechain compression, allowing the bass to dip subtly when the kick hits. This technique not only prevents frequency masking but also gains additional headroom, making the mix louder without sacrificing quality. He also highlights the versatility of sidechain compression across genres, from subtle applications to more pronounced effects in EDM.