Thomas Juth shows a targeted way to carve out room for a lead vocal without reaching for static EQ cuts. He puts a multiband compressor on the instrument competing with the vocal, then sidechains the vocal into it and sets it up so that only the top end or midrange ducks, and only when the vocal is actually present.
The result is an instrument that stays full and bright everywhere else in the mix, but automatically steps back the instant the vocal comes in. It's a dynamic, set-and-forget alternative to riding faders or notching frequencies by hand.
Beyond just reducing masking, this trick also shapes depth. Pulling back an instrument's high end makes it read as further back in the mix, since brightness is one of the main cues our ears use to judge closeness, so the vocal naturally lands in front.