Sidechaining Compression (think Daft Punk, pumping effect) and Vocoder

Side-chaining is an important effect that can gain a lot of sonic traction for your compositions. Imagine that every time the kick drum or snare hit, the instruments and other sounds are sucked away for that instant. This has become very popular in electronic music, and is also used on tracks in a subtle way where it significantly improves the mix while the listener may not notice it.


To get started, check out this historical video.

Here are the steps to follow to create these effects, including vocoder sidechaining for a special vocal treat:




 
MELODIC / PITCHED MIDI TRACKS:
1. Create two midi tracks and select two MIDI instruments, dragging in one for each. For the purpose of this HW, it is good to pick Pads / Strings / long sustaining pitched sounds.
2. Play chords, draw chords, or drag in a MIDI file into one of the MIDI channels. Copy the same clip/MIDI and put it on the second MIDI channel.
3. Mute one of the two instrument MIDI channels (we will use this one for vocoding purposes later)
 
PERCUSSIVE MIDI TRACK:
4. Create a new MIDI track with a Drum Rack and drag in at least 3 drum sounds (Kick, Snare, Rimshot or other percussion)
5. Program a drum pattern with this Drum Rack

External Carrier Vocoder:6. Drag a Vocoder on one of the percussion sounds that is not a Kick or Snare
7. Set the Vocoder carrier on the left to External (Rather than Noise/Modulation/Pitch Tracking)
8. Set the Vocoder Audio From to the MIDI Channel with the Chords you muted in #3.
9. Turn up wet/dry and play around with every single parameter in Vocoder. You will hear your percussion take on the sound of the synthesizer sound from #3

Noise Carrier Vocoder:
10. Drag a Vocoder onto the Snare in Drum Rack. Change the vocoder Carrier to Noise. This will vocode your snare against white noise. Play with the Range and the Release to shape your snare.

Modulation Carrier Vocoder:
11. Drag a Vocoder onto any channel except the muted one. Change carrier to Modulation and play with Depth and Wet/Dry and Release. This is a really clever way to achieve a poor man's spectral gate/noise gate where you can reduce the quietest bands and gain some sonic real estate.

Compressor Sidechain:
12. Drag a compressor on one channel. Sidechain it to the kick and play with the release, threshold and ratio.
13. Drag another compressor in and Sidechain it to only the snare. Play with release, threshold and ratio.



Vocode your Voice:14. Create an Audio Channel, set Audio Input to your microphone. Put a Vocoder with Carrier on External, and channel set to your chords that are muted in #3.


15. Enable Automation Arm so that we can record automation

Record Yourself:
16. Record yourself performing the set, changing the automation on Vocoders and any other effects while recording your talking into the channel from #14. You should hear your voice being vocoded against the MIDI chords from #3. Play with the settings and choose a sound in #3 that makes your voice as intelligible as possible.


Arrange it:
17. Go into Arrangement view and notice the recorded automations being red. Note that the RED square DOT means that there is automation present.

Submission (due May 14):
Export, upload, to soundcloud, send an email with links.
Show in class (if we do not ask you to show, please be proactive and show us your Ableton set).

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