sidechain compression in ableton live

i can't quite figure it out. say i have a compressor that's supposed to be able to do it. can i do it with VST's, i.e midi? can't be limited to audio only can it?

guide plz

Well, technically, I guess you wouldn't HAVE to have audio. That is, the compressor could have built in audio forms or compressor routines to perform based on MIDI input. I've never heard of that being done though.

I use the side chain compressor in my micro modular alot but I haven't seen a VST compressor that does it (although Im sure they exist). However, I wouldn't count on one having a side chain triggered by MIDI. Pretty much by definition it needs a second audio signal to base its compression levels on.

what he said^^

Here's one, but I bet it sounds like shit:

http://www.twistedlemon.nl/ (go to "programming/plug-ins" -- it's called SideKick)

Hmm, to further elaborate aftre re-reading your post.

To clarify what Side-Chaining does, instead of running your compression settings based on the audio comming on the "in" side of things, it runs it based on the audio thats comming in through the side chain, but APPLIES it to the "in" port. So, if you have a really loud basedrum on the sidechain port, and you have a limiter value set on the compressor, it will probably hit that limiter, and reduce the volume of the stuff comming in on the "in" port.

with midi vs audio i basically meant when the audio is coming out of a VST triggered by midi and not an audio loop or wav effect

Oh! Dur! lol sorry

Hmm, well, I have an FX send out of my soundcard... plus alternate ins.. provided the Comrpessor plugin could use specific audio ins and not just the default, it should work.

i think it's best if someone who uses ableton live could answer my question. i mean sidechaining is really fucking easy in programs like reason, cubase and acid 6, i just cant quite figure it out in ableton. i read the manual but it just raised more questions

  Derelic7 said:

i think it's best if someone who uses ableton live could answer my question. i mean sidechaining is really fucking easy in programs like reason, cubase and acid 6, i just cant quite figure it out in ableton. i read the manual but it just raised more questions

:clover: you're in luck! Live supports side chain eq in its compressor II, but not side chain audio. However, there is a nice tutorial from sonictransfer.com on using side chain compression in ableton live using free plugins. Click here to read the tutorial on side chain compression in ableton live.

Happy Producing!

Matt Sonic