How do I use Major Tom's sidechain feature in Cubase/Nuendo?

Product Support Frequently Asked Questions
1

A picture is worth a thousand words…special thanks to Tallisman for the graphics!

Note: The right edge of the embedded graphic below gets cut off by the forum software. Click the link below to open in a new window.

[url:a7dc1]http://shup.com/Shup/5370/MajorTom.Cubase.Sidechain.gif[/url:a7dc1]

[img:a7dc1]http://shup.com/Shup/5370/MajorTom.Cubase.Sidechain.gif[/img:a7dc1]

2

Any chance to have some instructions on how to use sidechain feature in Reaper?
Just words maybe, no fuss for a pic
Would appreciate that much, as still digging into Reaper, and the feedback on MT is good, so may buy if get the said magic:)

3

Oops… I think I got the trick after reading the Reapers manual more thorough. Am I right assuming MT’s aux inputs are the first pair in the drop sown menu, unlike Reaper’s own ReaComp? The thing really rocks, on my list for the next buy.
A little OT: have you conidered bundle licenses? I don’t mean lower price (it’s fantastic! God bless you guys!), just the single keyfile for several plugins bought altogether – to avoid the ‘keyfile not workig’ fuss.

4

The sidechain inputs are the 3rd and 4th channels on a Reaper track, where the 1st and 2nd channels are the normal stereo input track. So, if you route the send from a source track (let’s say a kick drum) to channels 3 & 4 of another track (for example, bass guitar), then enabling the sidechain feature of Major Tom will allow the bass to be ducked from the kick.

Note that you will have to change the I/O properties of the bass guitar track to allow 4 channels in order for this to work properly. This is exactly the same as ReaComp’s method of operation…ReaComp calls channels 3 & 4 “Auxilliary Input”.

Hope this helps!

Scott

5

Thanks Scott!
That was helpful and seems easier, as I first did the trick creating an extra bus (as is written in reaper’s manual)

6

How does sidechain feature work in Audition 3.0?

Would appreciate any guidance here thanks.

7

Don’t have Audition to test with, but it will require that the track that Major Tom is on have 4 input channels. If Audition can’t provide that, then Major Tom will default to having sidechain do exactly the same thing as normal input.

Scott

8

Thanks Scott, I’ll give it a go. By the way, I’m in evaluation mode with this (and the Transient Monster).

9

No worries…they behave exactly the same in evaluation as in licensed mode…hope you like them!

Scott

10

Hi Scott,

I do exactly how the gif shows, and it works.

I used a drum track to feed the Key (Ls Rs) send. No problems intil here.

But, the drum track sound has your gain increased, and i am listening 2 drum tracks at same time.

How may i do to listen the target track with the sidechain working, and NOT listen the drum track?

Tanks a lot Scott, and i apologising to my poor english.

Jorge Marques, Evolution Studio.
Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil.

11

Hi Jorgelrmf

I am gonna give it a shot, sorting you out.
First of all as of cuubase 4.5 there is new sidechaining capabilities built in, that drastically simplify the process. I will not touch on that as it is easy enough (and also I gave away my copy prior to the update).

so the purpose of the quattro group - a 4 channel group that can carry signal down 2 distinct audio paths - is 2 fold.

purpose 1: to carry the compressed signal to the master buss in the example above that would be the bass
purpose 2: to capture a key signal and use that to drive the compressor… in this case the drum.

Stereo (L/R) vs Key Ls/Rs

Stereo L/R is your stereo channel that goes to the master outs. What ever is routed to this portion of the quattro group will be heard. You can if you like route anything here, but if you desire to duck a bass using a kick drum, then route only the bass to the quattro’s L/R channel.

Key (Ls/Rs) this is the signal path that MajorTom will listen to for Key signal used to trigger the compressor action. Route the drums here.

So in your project You will change the Bass tracks main output to the Quattro group - sending all of its signal there.

You will use a Send on the drum track to direct some signal to the quattro’s Ls/Rs channel.

You will make sure that the quattro group is sending the Stereo L/R to the master.
If you set it up like in the animated gif above, and you still hear the drums when listening only to the quatro, then you are routing the drums to the wrong side.

hope this helps

good luck

.tallis

ps… if you search side chain cubase on youtube, you will come across many great tutorials that do a much better job of explaining this than I have :smiley:.

12

Hi Tallisman,

Fisrt, tanks a lot.

I will think about your words, and change the way i do sidechain.

I will search the videos on youtube.

Again, tanks a lot.

Jorge Marques, Evolution Studio
Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil.

13

Thanks for that Tallisman!