SIDECHAIN.

Overview

SIDECHAIN does three jobs on one focused surface: it ducks the bass around the kick, aligns the low-band phase and removes low end only while the kick plays.

It is designed for kick and bass, but the same controls work on a full loop, a bus or a pad when the low end is colliding.

Requirements and installation

Install from the download page. The PKG places the app, VST3 and AU. Put SIDECHAIN on the bass track, then route the kick into its sidechain input.

Routing

1. Place SIDECHAIN on the bass track (or the bus that contains the bass).
2. Enable the sidechain input in Live and choose the kick track.
3. Play both parts together.
4. Start with Duck, then check Phase, then use Space only if the low end still masks the kick.

PHASE learning and SPACE require an external kick. DUCK can also run from Host Grid; SYNC sets its duration and does not select the trigger source. Confirm both settings before troubleshooting.

DUCK

The duck curve controls how the bass recovers after each kick. It retriggers from the external kick or, for DUCK, from the running host grid. Depth, Mix and the drawn curve determine how much of the bass is reduced.

Shape

Draw the curve from the first sample to the recovery point. A short, deep shape is useful for tight house kicks; a longer, gentler shape preserves more bass movement.

Amount

Start with a reduction you can hear, then reduce it. The goal is separation, not a pumping effect.

PHASE

Phase aligns the bass sub with the kick tail. Manual Rotation changes low-band phase; it is not a sample-delay control. Polarity flip reverses polarity, while Auto Phase learns an alignment from the external kick and bass. Check the result by ear; it is not guaranteed to improve every pair of sounds.

1. Bypass Duck for a moment.
2. Loop a section with kick and bass.
3. Use Auto Phase or move manually until the low end stops cancelling.
4. Re-enable Duck and set the curve.

SPACE

SPACE is a dynamic low-end EQ that cuts only while the kick is playing. Set LOW and HIGH band edges, Range and Recovery so the cut follows the external kick and gets out of the way between hits. Enable SPACE using its own ENABLED control.

Use less than you think: a narrow, shallow cut is usually more musical than a wide scoop.

A practical workflow

1. Balance kick and bass in faders first.
2. Set Duck to create separation.
3. Fix phase before adding more duck.
4. Add a small SPACE cut if the kick still disappears.
5. Bypass the plugin and compare. If the bypass sounds better, simplify.

Save the setting as a starting point for the project — the next bass may need a different curve.

License and troubleshooting

The license is perpetual and covers two computers. Activate from the app's License page. The trial is 7 days with all features.

The sidechain is not reacting

• Confirm the kick is routed to the sidechain input.
• Check the kick is actually playing in the loop.
• Raise the duck amount and confirm the curve is not flat.

The low end gets thinner

Reduce the duck amount, shorten the curve, or reduce the SPACE range. Phase should be checked before more processing.

Specifications