Ducking (side chain) vs Automation?

M_Glenn_M


I've been side chaining to duck a couple of rhythm tracks under the Vox but there are times when I'd like it not to take affect.
Automating the volume works but seems slow.
Is there a way to disable the side chain ducking at certain spots?

If you set up your side-chain trigger signal routed via a send disabling the send at those spots, or lowering the send level if you just want to reduce the effect rather than kill it.  Alternatively you can control the amount of ducking via automation on the threshold of the compressor.

There is no substitute for precise volume automation, as much work as it is. 

One way to make it easier is to route everything (or alternatively, everything except bass and drums) to a bus and automate that. Dipping the instruments by just 1db during vocal phrases helps clarify the vocal a great deal. On more aggressive stuff I usually leave the bass and drums alone and dip everything else.

Tip: don't drop the level suddenly, but rather make the transitions happen during the first and last syllables so that the vocal masks the instrument level changes.

I have used sidechained compression in an attempt to make the job easier, but it's tricky to set it just right so the effect is not distracting. The more dynamic your song is, the harder it is to make ducking sound natural. It works much better on individual instruments, such as lowering a pad/organ/piano/rhythm guitar during vocal phrases.

That said, if you've already got some ducking happening and it sounds almost right, JonBuoy's suggestion about automating the gate/compressor threshold should do the trick.

That said, if you've already got some ducking happening and it sounds almost right, JonBuoy's suggestion about automating the gate/compressor threshold should do the trick.

Yes, it depends on what you are trying to acheive and to some extent on your signal path as to the hows' and whys' on how to best arrive at the result you want.

Doing it manually will give you finer control but if you are want the vocal to have a more distinct effect on the backing in the context of the music using the compressor to make it happen is the way to go.

I don't use a sidechained compressor to merely automate relative levels during vocal passages but rather, like many do as a distinct creative effect, you can be as subtle as you like with it or make it pump like a good 'un.  The advantage is that the amount of gain reduction is always relative to the input level of the side-chained source.  If you just want to dip the levels of the backing then yes automate a fader.