The Power of Sidechaining: How to Add Movement, Clarity, and Energy to Your Mixes
You’ve heard the pumping effect. You’ve felt that bounce in the low end. But do you really understand how sidechainingworks—or all the creative ways you can use it?
In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody dive deep into the world of sidechaining, demystifying this essential mixing technique and sharing the smart, subtle, and sometimes surprising ways they use it to bring their mixes to life.
Whether you’re using it to duck the bass under the kick, tame reverb tails, trigger FX, or create pulsing rhythmic movement, sidechaining is more than just a trend—it’s a mixing power tool.
In this episode:
- What sidechaining is and how it functions in a DAW
- Traditional and creative sidechaining methods
- How to use sidechaining to create clarity, groove, and mix energy
- Best plugins and routing techniques for effective implementation
- Why sidechaining isn’t just for EDM—it works in rock, pop, hip-hop, orchestral, and more
Plus, you’ll hear Chris and Jody’s go-to plugins, real-world applications, a fresh round of Friday Finds, and of course, some unfiltered nonsense along the way.
Whether you’re a seasoned producer or just getting your hands dirty in your first DAW session, this episode gives you the tools to sidechain with confidence—and purpose.
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Gear we used:
Jody’s Mic & Voice Chain: Telefunken C12 – Groove Tubes Vipre – Apollo – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA Studer A800
Jody’s Channel Strip: iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E
Chris’ Mic & Voice Chain: Slate ML1 – Apollo – UA – Slate VMR (FG12, FG73, API Eq, SSL 4kE) – iZotope RX Voice – DeNoise
Chris’ Channel Strip: Eventide Precision Time Align – iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E
Master: Oek Sound Soothe 2 – iZotope Ozone Imager – iZotope Ozone Maximize.
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If you want to collaborate, sponsor a podcast, donate, or want us to review your product – contact us at: collaborate@insidetherecordingstudio.com