Sidechain compression is the secret sauce behind the rhythmic pulse in countless electronic music tracks. That classic “pumping” sound, where synths and basses duck out of the way for the kick drum, adds energy and creates space in the mix. But what happens when the kick drops out for a breakdown or an intro? The pumping stops, and the energy can fizzle out.
Here’s a professional technique to solve that exact problem and maintain your groove throughout your entire arrangement.
The Problem: Losing Rhythmic Energy
The standard way to set up a sidechain is to use the kick drum as the trigger. The compressor on your bass or synth track reacts to every kick hit, momentarily lowering the volume. This is great for the main sections of your song, but when you build tension in a section without a kick, that rhythmic movement is lost, and your track can suddenly feel static.
The Solution: The ‘Ghost Kick’ Sidechain Trick
The solution is to create a silent or “ghost” trigger that activates the sidechain effect independently of your audible kick drum. This gives you complete control over when and where the pumping effect occurs.
Here’s the simple, step-by-step process in Ableton Live:
- Duplicate Your Kick Track: In your project, find your main kick drum track. Right-click on it and select “Duplicate.” To stay organized, it’s a good idea to rename this new track to something clear, like “Kick SC” or “Ghost Kick.”
- Create the Silent Trigger: On this new “Ghost Kick” track, turn the channel volume all the way down to zero or simply deactivate the track’s output. This makes the kick on this channel completely inaudible in your main mix, but Ableton can still use its signal as a trigger.
- Program Your Rhythm: You can now place kick MIDI notes or audio clips on this silent track in any section you want the sidechain effect to be active, even when the main kick isn’t playing. This is perfect for intros, breakdowns, and build-ups.
- Route the Sidechain: Go to the track you want to affect (e.g., your synth pad or bassline) and add a Compressor. Open the sidechain section by clicking the small triangle, enable it, and select your “Ghost Kick” track as the “Audio From” source.
Now, even when your main kick is silent, the inaudible “ghost kick” will continue to trigger the compressor, keeping that essential rhythmic pulse alive. It’s a simple yet incredibly powerful way to maintain momentum and add a professional touch to your arrangements.
For a quick visual guide on how to set this up in Ableton Live, check out the video tutorial:
