Sidechain compression on audience applause in live TV-shows (?!)

So. Last night my girlfriend decided to turn on the TV and watch another freshly aired 'American Idol'-esque programme, and I something happened that ALWAYS seem to happen when I watch such things.

The rest of the sound image seems to be compressed by the sound the of audience's claps. As if it has some sidechain compression on.

Is this simply because the claps are 'mastered' (or whatever) louder than the actual background music so it momentarily dominates the sound image or...?

I'm god damn curious.

vd

i don't think its side chain compression just really slammed normal compression

I thought this was gonna be more like

yeah, hard to tell if it's literally sidechaining or just hard limiting. probably limiting, although I'm not sure. it sounds like music on the radio when the announcer comes in (which I believe.is sidechaining).

i'm glad this thread came up. i've been wondering about this too.

in Reason i have a compressor where i can input the signal that's gonna compress the signal i want to be compressed. i mean, i have 2 inputs.

but i've heard that sidechain compression is also achieved with just one input in your compressor. is that the case that awepittance is talking about? hard limiting?

please enlighten me :sup:

Post-dilla

It's quite old-school in TV and radio. Same reason the background music decreases in volume just when the DJ starts talking. Usually they call it ‘ducking’ I think? But yeah it's sidechain compression.

  On 11/27/2011 at 5:25 PM, Ascdi said:

It's quite old-school in TV and radio. Same reason the background music decreases in volume just when the DJ starts talking. Usually they call it ‘ducking’ I think? But yeah it's sidechain compression.

ding ding ding.

anyone know how to do it in cubase????

i got it :sup: