Sidechain compression... how?

[Paul]

Well, it's just a free plugin (you can get it at http://sonictransfer.com/free-side-chai ... -mac.shtml), but I guess the answer can be about any sidechain compressor. I don't think the option with the aux bus will work because somehow Metro has to be able to access the input (sidechain) channel that the plugin creates when instantiated. So in Metro you will have to physically assign the output channel of one track to the sidechain input channel of the plugin.

Maybe this could be a feature request?

Here's a tutorial about the sidechain compressor: http://sonictransfer.com/side-chain-com ... rial.shtml

Sidechain compressing is cool...

[Jerm]

Hello Paul,

Very cool I will look into this further!

Thank you.

[Jerm]

I have been researching this issue and I am confident sidechaining will be implemented in Metro 6.4.

This would also allow Metro to be used with other applications such as a surround sound panner plug-in.

[Paul]

I have been researching this issue and I am confident sidechaining will be implemented in Metro 6.4.

Great! It's been said before but it's really great to directly interact with you and see problems solved and feature requests implemented this way. You just don't get that with Apple Logic...

Any idea when 6.4 will be released?

[Jerm]

To be honest I have sidechains working in 6.4. The only question I have is on the flexibility. It turns out to be fairly easy to implement if the implementation is limited by the following constraints:

• Sidechain inputs from tracks are all post-fader.
• Sidechain inputs from aux-busses cannot be sent to track-insert plug-ins.
• Sidechain inputs on aux-busses are pre-fader if the feeding aux-buss is a lower number than the processing aux-buss otherwise they are post-fader.
• All sidechain inputs are stereo.
• Sidechain input directly from an effects multi-out is not possible.

This allows you to still use sidechains as pre-fader by sending the track output to an aux-buss pre-fader and then routing the data to the effect from the aux-buss.

Do you think these are acceptable limitations or should more work be done? If more work should be done, which limitations are non-workable?

Any idea when 6.4 will be released?

I would like to release this version by the end of the summer. There are quite a few new cool features in 6.4. This update will be free only for people that purchased Metro after 5-23-07.

[Paul]

I was not planning on using sidechaining with aux-busses. I don't really know what would be the benefit, so all aux-bus related constraints are ok by me. Could you name a situation in which it would come in handy to use an aux-bus?

For now, the only sidechain plugin I know of is a compressor and I don't think those have multiple outputs, although I'm not sure. Anyhow, I don't think I will be using multiple outputs for the moment.

The only constraint I have a question about is the first one, about sidechain inputs from tracks being post-fader. Suppose that I have a kick drum on track 1 and a bassline on track 2 and I use a sidechain compressor on track 2, with track 1 supplying the sidechain signal. Will the entire signal from track 1 be sent to track 2? In other words, will it only be used to influence track 2 and won't the kick drum itself be heard at all? In that case, I can simply duplicate track 1 to track 3 (which will then play the kick) and there will be no problem as far as I'm concerned. However, when the signal from track 1 is still being heard, then I think it's a problem, because altering the volume of that track will also mean altering the amount of compression.

I am not sure how you plan to implement it, but I think I will just have to choose the input of the sidechain compressor as the output for track 1 in the outputs column?

[Jerm]

Could you name a situation in which it would come in handy to use an aux-bus?

It sounds like you may need to use them.

Suppose that I have a kick drum on track 1 and a bassline on track 2 and I use a sidechain compressor on track 2, with track 1 supplying the sidechain signal. Will the entire signal from track 1 be sent to track 2?

To the input of the compressor anyway and post fader/effects.

In other words, will it only be used to influence track 2 and won't the kick drum itself be heard at all?

In this case the kick drum's output fader will control both the amount sent to the side chain and the final output but you can get around that by sending the kick drum track to a dummy aux buss pre-fader and then using the aux buss as a source for the compressor. Of course then the compressor must also be placed on a second aux buss.

However, when the signal from track 1 is still being heard, then I think it's a problem, because altering the volume of that track will also mean altering the amount of compression.

Yes. It might be better to have the sidechains pre-fader or selectable pre/post fader but this requires substantially more work.

I am not sure how you plan to implement it, but I think I will just have to choose the input of the sidechain compressor as the output for track 1 in the outputs column?

No because it is not a track output. It is related to the effects input. Right now in 6.4 you need to right (or ctrl) click on the effects title bar which brings up a contextual menu that lets you select any of the effects inputs as a sidechain input. If the effect had 4 inputs there would be a second menu item named '3+4' and it would have a submenu with tracks and auxes attached. Here is a picture: