• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Why Logic Pro Rules

A website dedicated to Apple's Logic Pro, the best Digital Audio Workstation out there.

  • Blog
  • About
  • Free Logic Pro Templates & Guides
  • Contact

December 12, 2019

External vs Internal Sidechaining – How to Make the Most of Sidechaining For Your Logic Projects

 

Trying to achieve space and clarity in our mixes. That’s always the challenge, isn’t it?

Sure, we have EQs and Compressors. Reverbs and delays. But sometimes it feels like none of these are ever enough.

No matter how much we bend and stretch our tracks or add ambiance, our mixes can still feel a bit congested.

Thankfully, there are other ways to introduce space in a mix. And a great option is to use Sidechaining.

The classic argument for Sidechaining is the old kick drum vs bass situation. The kick drum is short and punchy, while our bass tracks tend to sustain and obscure the kick.

It’s a tough case because both the kick and bass live in the low end. They both need power and room to breath. How they heck do we get these 2 to hang together in harmony??

That’s where sidechaining comes in.

But sidechaining isn’t only reserved for instruments that are competing for space. We call that external sidechaining. But we can also use an internal sidechain to focus on a specific element of the track we’re working on.

For example: a drum loop. The kick is slamming, but we want to compress the snare in the loop. What’s one to do?

By using the Logic Compressor’s internal sidechain, no biggie. We can hone our processing in on just the snare.

The opportunities for sidechaining can expand far beyond creating space. We can even use sidechaining for creativity as well.

So today let’s explore the world of Sidechaining. In today’s video, I demonstrate the difference between internal and external uses. And in both cases, your mixes win 🙂

Free Mixing & Mastering Template Bundle - Why Logic Pro Rules

Enjoy this post? Spread the Logic Pro love:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Mixing, Plugins

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Richard says

    December 12, 2019 at 10:23 pm

    Thanks lot Chris for video

    Reply
  2. bruce says

    December 13, 2019 at 12:44 pm

    Thanks for explaining how to focus on one aspect of a loop. Very useful.

    Reply
  3. Jimmy says

    December 26, 2019 at 9:26 pm

    This is probably one of the best tutorials ever on how to use internal and external side chaining–and its easily explained in less than 9 minutes.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Free Template Sidebar

Plus – receive my Workflow Checklist. 10 tips and tricks to supercharge your Logic Pro workflow:

Search

Popular on WLPR

  • Logic Pro for iPad is Here! Everything You Need to Know
  • Logic Pro X System Overload Message Audio Engine Too Slow?
    Here’s 10 Ways to Fix Logic Pro X System Overloads
  • The 6 Life-Saving Tips For Mastering in Logic Pro X The 6 Life-Saving Tips For Mastering in Logic Pro X
  • Bussing in Logic Pro X How to Use Bussing in Logic Pro X to Super-Charge Your Projects
  • Logic Pro X Flex Time Flex Time Not Working?
    3 Common Issues & How to Solve Them

WLPR’s Top Recommended Gear & Plugins

Chris Vandeviver - Mix Desk

WLPR’s Top Recommended Gear

Who Am I?

Oh, hey. I’m Chris Vandeviver. Mix Engineer, producer, and Logic Pro fanatic.

Why Logic Pro Rules is a website dedicated to helping you get the best you can out of Apple’s Logic Pro.

Every week I post tutorials, answer questions, and share how to get the most out of Logic Pro.

  • Privacy Policy

"Logic Pro" is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. “Why Logic Pro Rules" is an independent website and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc.


Copyright © 2023

 

Loading Comments...