What is Sidechain Compression?

language evolves and the usage of it changes.

We old guys may not like it but that's the fact.

Gay used to mean happy ....... now it doesn't ...... no matter how much you want it to it now means gay .....

I had a guy ream me because I referred to an amp without adjustable bias as 'fixed' bias. Technically it's not .... it's a specific way of biasing a tube circuit ...... but the fact is .... LOTS of techs, and some really good ones, very often use the term interchangebly with meaning that or a non-adjustable bias.

To someone who wants to be a stickler for original definitions of words it's upsetting but there's no escaping the evolution of language no matter how hard you fight it.

language change is a fact of life. in my real life (outside of music) i'm a professional linguist and this is one of my pet peeves, when people insist that a word means one thing just because it meant that in the past...language changes.
 
language change is a fact of life. in my real life (outside of music) i'm a professional linguist and this is one of my pet peeves, when people insist that a word means one thing just because it meant that in the past...language changes.

Language has to keep up with changes. There's no PIE word for wireless. But without some degree of conservatism language might change fast enough that 50 year old people can't communicate with 30 year old people and none of those can understand teenagers. Conservatism in language is good because it serves a purpose.
 
This from Wikepedia via JD :

Side-chaining
The sidechain of a feed-forward compressor

When side-chaining, the compressor uses the volume level of an input signal to determine how strongly the compressor will reduce the gain on its output signal. This is used by ...

Acck. "When side-chaining"? Should read something along the lines;

The compressor uses the volume level of an input signal to it's detector to determine how strongly the compressor will reduce the gain on its output signal.
A Detector Input also sometimes labeled 'Side Chain' can interrupt the normal internal circuit to provide access for external uses.

Then go on to list various external uses of the detector input.

One thing I didn't realize here is :-)rolleyes: or is it now decided 'was?..) the use 'side chain as 'any parallel path. (My aux' send.. etc. Ok a side path, actually makes complete sense.
And the detection circuit is a parallel path.
So all this it seems started with the labeling of the detector input as 'side chain?
What a (potential) mess then that made.
 
So all this it seems started with the labeling of the detector input as 'side chain?
What a (potential) mess then that made.

In retrospect side chain is not the best term for the detector path because sometimes a foreign signal is inserted there. But it's a fait accompli.
 
You could look at it either way.

You could say that new york compression is the act of compressing a sidechain/parallel of a signal
Equally you could say that ducking uses the sidechain/parallel of signal A to control compression of signal B.

Or you could just say screw it and have a cup of tea. Who needs compression anyway. :)
 
Hello.

This is my first post here.

I'm mostly a live (playing) type of musician, with some experience in home and studio recording.

This has been a really interesting thread to read.

It wasn't until I got to aaronmcoleman's post about language evolving, that I got some perspective about this.

I came across this thread (and signed up) while looking for info on using a bandpass filter in a "sidechain" so that low notes on a 5 string bass wouldn't cause a compressor to over-react to the larger amplitude on these notes, and fart out.

Basically, I want to allow my Empress Compressor (stompbox, but a fairly fully spec'd instrument compressor nonetheless) to let the very low notes which I do want to get through unchanged, but compress everything above this frequency as normal.

I have actually learned, how this works from reading through this thread, and I thank everyone for this.

Now, my compressor also has a mix(blend) control to allow parallel compression live. I bought it because it will allow me to do both of these things.

This has been interesting and educational to read.

I have to go now, as I have a can of worms on the stove.

Regards.
 
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