How to Set Up Sidechain Compression in Cubase

Sidechain compression can be used to create a ducking or pumping effect on an audio source. The effect is usually applied to a sustained sound (e.g. a synth pad) and the pumping effect is triggered by incoming audio from a separate track (e.g. a kick drum).
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In this article, we will explain how to configure Cubase to create sidechain compression with Native Instruments Vintage Compressor.

Note: This process also works with other NI effect plug-ins that include a sidechain feature.

Click to expand the sections below.

Preparing the Instrument Tracks

In this first section, we will explain how to set up your instrument tracks. These will act as the source and destination of the sidechain compression effect. This process works with both Audio and Instrument tracks in Cubase. In this example, we will use two Instrument Tracks and load Massive and Battery as the respective sound sources. 

  1. Create two new Instrument Tracks. Insert Massive on the first and Battery on the second

    Note: Please see this article for more information about inserting NI plug-ins in Cubase.

  2. On the first Instrument Track, open the plug-in window and choose a synth pad preset. Any Massive preset with a long sustained pad sound will do.
    Search_Pad.png
  3. On the second Instrument Track, open the plug-in window and load any Battery drum kit.

    Note: If you do not own Battery, you can use any plug-in that produces drumkit sounds.

    Load_Drum_Kit.png
  4. Record some MIDI notes (into the respective instrument tracks) to create a sustained chord with Massive and a simple 4x4 kick drum beat with Battery. In our example, we will record 1 bar of MIDI notes on both tracks.
    Pad_and_Drum_Notes.png

If you start the Cubase playback now, the synth pad and kick drum can be heard without the "pumping effect" that sidechaining is known for. Continue to the next section below for instructions to set up the sidechain compression effect.

Applying Sidechain Compression

In this section, we will explain how to set up the sidechain compression effect.

  1. On the first Instrument Track with Massive, insert Vintage Compressor VC 160 as an Audio Insert effect.

    Note: Please see this article for more information about inserting NI effect plug-ins in Cubase.

  2.  Open the VC 160 plug-in window and click to activate the Cubase Sidechain option.
    Activate_Cubase_Side-Chain.png
  3. In the Side-Chain Inputs drop menu, open the option to Add Side-Chain Input and choose the kick drum source track (Battery 4 01 in this example). 
    Add_Side-Chain_Input.png
  4. Start the Cubase playback and enable the VC 160 SC Gain button. You can adjust the VC 160 THRESHOLD knob, to fine-tune the "feel" of the sidechain effect.
    SC_Gain_and_Threshold.png

Note: For reference, you may also download the attached Cubase project. This shows the result of the steps outlined above.