Using a compressor is a workaround, but there are limitations with it because there is no “hold time” in the compressor parameters, and the amount of gain reduction is limited. Now, you can provide something of a workaround this lack of a hold time if you are using a mix to provide the side chain, by inserting a delay FX into that mix to re-generate the ducking trigger, but without a hold time setting, this will still produce a “sawtooth” effect for a hold, not a consistent hold level that a true ducker will.
Without a hold time, the ducked signal will start to increase in volume as soon as the side-chain signal stops, coming back to normal levels over the release time. In the case of a commentator interviewing an athlete, this means that background music can start to come back in during the period between when the commentator asks a question and the athlete answers it.
