Side Chains

Side Chains

Each of the synth tracks and external audio inputs (represented by the MIDI tracks) can be Side Chained. Side Chains work in the same manner as in common dynamics processors such as compressors, and can be used to alter the “envelope” of synth notes in time with any of the drum tracks.

Side Chain allows the hits of the selected drum track to duck the audio level of the synths. Using synth sounds with long sustain or long Gate times, you can make a drum sample “pump” the synth sounds to produce some interesting and unusual effects.

• Seven Side Chain presets are available, each allowing the selected drum track to modify the sound of the synth tracks (or signals at the external audio inputs) in subtly different ways.
  • The default state is for Side Chain to be OFF

Side Chain View is the secondary view of the FX button. Open by holding Shift and pressing FX, or press FX a second time if already in FX View to toggle the View.

Side Chain View will display either the side chain controls for the Synth tracks or the MIDI tracks (the external inputs) depending on which track was selected when Shift + FX was pressed. 

• You can use the down and up buttons to switch between Synth and MIDI track Side Chain Views.

The two lower rows of pads corresponds to the seven Side Chain Presets for Synth 1 and Synth 2 respectively (or MIDI 1 and MIDI 2);

• The first pad in each row is the OFF button - this disables side chain processing for the synth (or audio input.)
• Press any other pad in the row to enable one of the Side Chain Presets
• Pads 5 to 8 on the top row let you select which Drum track will be the side chain trigger for the chosen track (select by pressing a side chain preset for the track).

The best way of understanding side chain processing is to experiment and listen.

• A good starting point is to set a single synth note to have a Gate value of 16 so that it sounds continuously, and make Drum 1 play a few kick drum beats. As you select different Side Chain Presets, you'll hear the different ways in which the continuous synth note is “interrupted” by the drum.
  • Also note that the effect will be different based on the synth patch and the relative timings of the synth patterns and Drum 1.

Side Chain ducking will continue even when the level of the source track is reduced to zero in the Mixer View.

• If you mute the drum track selected as the key in Mixer View, however, side chain triggering is disabled.