OK thanks. I'll keep digging. It could be myself or a setting that's out. lol. I have a feelign we could be chatting all night. i`ll look at the plugins documentation. I thought it was just ST's that had the ability. But I know better now. 
Thanks again 

You are very welcome. I hope we can get this solved for you. 

This X1 comparison chart seems to indicate that X1 Essential does have the sidechaining facility but does not include any sidechaining plugins:
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/article/5101-sonar-x1-comparison-chart-cakewalk-sonar-software.html
 

Kev999
This X1 comparison chart seems to indicate that X1 Essential does have the sidechaining facility but does not include any sidechaining plugins:
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/article/5101-sonar-x1-comparison-chart-cakewalk-sonar-software.html
 

That makes a lot of sense. Thank you Kev. 

steverobbins
I wouldn't have minded if it was included in the price (IE. it cost the extra  in the first place) but thats beside the point. 

 
Well actually that is the point, if it's included in the price than something else is NOT being included in order to pay for it. I still think most people have no need for the MP3 encoder and would therefore would rather have their money go toward something they can use. Let Microsoft of Apple pay the royalty as part of their OS for people who want to convert to MP3.
 

Finally a solution. This worked for me. I found an obscure text in the help files. But apparently (with the cakewalk generic compressor/gate) the left channel drives the side chain to affect the right channel. that is then kicked out in mono panned center.  
Send the driver signal to a bus panned hard left. Send the channel to be affected to the same bus panned hard right.  I sent it direct rather than used an aux send by changing the output to the bus and having the bus going to the master bus. This attenuated the signal I wanted to affect in all the right places. 
 
I hope this helps someone else in the future.
 
 

steverobbins
...the left channel drives the side chain to affect the right channel. that is then kicked out in mono panned center.  
Send the driver signal to a bus panned hard left. Send the channel to be affected to the same bus panned hard right...

So I guess that any stereo FX plugin can be used for sidechaining in this way. Great idea.

steverobbins
Finally a solution. This worked for me. I found an obscure text in the help files. But apparently (with the cakewalk generic compressor/gate) the left channel drives the side chain to affect the right channel. that is then kicked out in mono panned center.  
Send the driver signal to a bus panned hard left. Send the channel to be affected to the same bus panned hard right.  I sent it direct rather than used an aux send by changing the output to the bus and having the bus going to the master bus. This attenuated the signal I wanted to affect in all the right places. 
 
I hope this helps someone else in the future.
 
 

Too much hassle.
 
Did you missed the Waves giveaway (OneKnob Pumper)?
 
If you did, then check this plugin: TAL Filter 2
 
 
 
Free plugin, just drop the .dll file in your plugin folder, choose volume as modulation type, adjust BPM Factor, and draw your sidechaining curve.
 
Easy as cheesy .
 
EDIT: woops, link didn't show up, google it.
 
EDIT²: You still can get Waves OneKnob Pumper for free this Cyber Monday! Hurry!