Sidechain Compression

Sidechain compression is a production technique where a compressor on one track is triggered by the signal from a different track. The most common use is ducking a bass or pad with a kick drum — every time the kick hits, the bass briefly dips in volume, then swells back up. This creates the signature 'pumping' or 'breathing' effect that defines modern electronic dance music. Beyond the classic pump effect, sidechain is used for creating space (ducking reverb tails when vocals come in), de-essing (ducking sibilant frequencies), and creative rhythmic effects. Many producers use dedicated sidechain plugins like LFOTool or Kickstart for precise control.