Kick and Snare Sidechains
Berlin-based mixer and producer Fabio Machado shares his favorite sidechaining insights from Dan Braunstein, Joey Sturgis, Will Carson, and Jaycen Joshua - powerful techniques that have elevated his drum mixes and might do the same for you.
4 videos
Sidechain and EQ: carving space for a punchy kick
Dan Braunstein mixes "Bend" by Volumes and shows how sidechain compression carves out space for a punchy kick. He routes the kick into FabFilter Pro-C 2 on the bass track, starting with extreme gain reduction before dialing back to a more natural 3 to 6 dB. That subtle duck lets the bass breathe while the kick cuts through cleanly on every hit. Braunstein then tackles the overlap between kick and bass with FabFilter Pro-Q 3. Since both instruments share most of their frequency range, he has to choose who owns the sub and who owns the low mids. He tests both directions and settles on the kick taking the sub frequencies, giving the bass room for harmonic content instead. The result is a low end that stays punchy without turning muddy.
Using Trackspacer for punchier drums
Joey Sturgis demonstrates using Wavesfactory Trackspacer to achieve punchier drums by enhancing the kick and snare's presence in a mix. Inspired by the key spikes technique, Sturgis creates "Track Spacer Blips" by sending ultra-short, one-millisecond bursts of the kick and snare to a sidechain input on Trackspacer. This setup allows the plugin to duck the rest of the mix momentarily, giving the kick and snare a clear, focused moment to shine. By setting the Trackspacer's attack and release to the fastest possible settings and adjusting the effect to around 4-5%, Sturgis ensures the effect remains subtle yet impactful, especially on small speakers. This technique prevents frequency masking, allowing the kick and snare to cut through the mix without overpowering it, resulting in a competitive drum sound.
Sidechaining for a bigger snare room
In this session, Dan Braunstein focuses on using sidechain compression to enhance the snare room sound in a mix. He demonstrates how adjusting the attack and release settings on the sidechained compressor allows the snare's decay to shine through. The key is going for a longer attack time, so that the ducking makes room for the snare's decay rather than the initial snap. Dan sets up the sidechain to duck bass and guitars when the snare hits, allowing the room sound to pop through. Dan suggests sourcing the sidechain signal from the most direct snare track rather than the entire snare group, ensuring that the room's ambiance is effectively highlighted without overwhelming the mix. This approach is part of his broader strategy to make drums punch through the mix with clarity and presence.
Low-end clarity through kick-bass sidechaining
Will Carson demonstrates his approach to using sidechain compression in the low-end, drawing inspiration from Jason Joshua, to craft a powerful, punchy low-end while maximizing headroom and loudness. By applying the Oeksound Soothe plugin on the bass bus and all low-end elements like 808s, Carson ensures the kick drum cuts through the mix. This technique ducks the bass whenever the kick hits, allowing the sub frequencies of the kick to dominate without overwhelming the mix, thus preventing muddiness. This method is essential for achieving a punchy, clear low-end that feels substantial without actually increasing the low-end content, optimizing headroom and overall loudness in the mix.