Sidechain compression on a processed signal

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This topic contains 9 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by Profile photo of Brian Brian 1 year, 6 months ago.

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  • #109138
    Profile photo of creal
    creal
    Participant

    Hello,

    I am noob on the SQ6 (but I’ve read the manual and the block diagram). Yesterday, a singer asked me to use a sidechain compression on an FX delay (so that the delay is not audible when a phrase is being sung), which is something easily doable in studio softwares like Ableton Live. I didn’t have much time for the sound check, so I didn’t achieve to address this request. However, after the concert, I believe that I found different ways to make sidechain compression on a FX delay. Because tell me if I’m wrong, but it seems to be impossible to have a compressor on a FX return channel, which really is a pity in my opinion (this should be fixed in a future firmware).

    1) *Using the delay as an insert* => Send an amount of the audio signal of the singer to an Aux. Put an FX delay as an insert on this Aux channel. Go to that Aux and use its channel compressor and feed the sidechain with the signal of the audio singer.

    2) *Using the delay as an insert* => Send an amount of the audio signal of the singer to FX1, which contains an FX delay. Completely send (0 dB) the FX return 1 to the FX2 which contains a compressor (I don’t have the FX that are not free, but I guess there is a compressor with sidechain feature), and feed the sidechain with the signal of the audio singer.

    Since I cannot verify these statements before next month (I don’t own the SQ6 but will use it for other concerts), I would like these theoretical thoughts to be approved by the community, please.

    Thanks,

    creal.

    #109140
    Profile photo of creal
    creal
    Participant

    EDIT: I saw from another topic that we can also use an FX bus in a group in order to use its channel compressor. Is that correct?

    #109148
    Profile photo of Tobi
    Tobi
    Participant

    Hi,
    Use a steeo group. Send the FX Return of the Delay to that group and not to the MainLR. On the group you go to the compressor section and in the library you can load “Ducker”. Then use the Vocals as sidechain and tweck the parameters.

    Best Regards,
    Tobias

    #109158
    Profile photo of creal
    creal
    Participant

    Hi Tobi,
    Thanks for your reply. Could you please tell me if the two other ideas (1 = using an Aux channel as an FX bus ; 2 = serial routing of two FX busses) are also doable?
    Regards,
    creal.

    #109160
    Profile photo of Brian
    Brian
    Participant

    Creal – option 1 that you suggest is the same method as what Tobi is suggesting. It’s just that the “Aux” in your mind is actually a dedicated FX return in Allen and Heath’s world. There are 4 of these dedicated FX returns – one on each of the first 4 FX slots. (This raises another “best practice” when setting you console up – save the first 4 FX channels for situations where you need this dedicated FX return. If you have an FX that you are simply inserting into a channel, place those FX starting in slot 5).

    I’ve never tried your option #2, so I can’t comment if that would work or not.

    #109163
    Profile photo of creal
    creal
    Participant

    Thanks Brian. My mistake. I thought that Aux mixes were different from FX returns. You’re right: using the four first slots for parallel processing, and the four later for FX inserts, is what I have to keep in mind. With your two replies, I feel more comfortable with using of SQ6 (only theoretically for the moment). I just need to put these info into practice. I am really looking forward to play with the console next month 🙂

    #109167
    Profile photo of Brian
    Brian
    Participant

    Allen and Heath does call the Aux and FX Returns different things, but it’s all word speak really. An FX return is basically identical to the functionality of an aux, it’s just exclusively used to route FX through. Some consoles only call them auxes and don’t have any dedicated FX returns or their FX returns use/count towards the aux total. In an SQ series, the first 4 FX returns don’t count towards your Aux buss count. I actually think you can use Aux busses if you run out of FX returns which just further proves that the two are basically identical in functionality.

    #109170
    Profile photo of Tobi
    Tobi
    Participant

    Just for reference… the Block-Diagramm shows possible routings:

    https://www.allen-heath.com/media/SQ-5-Technical-Datasheet_G.pdf

    – Auxes cannot be routed to main, groups can
    – FX Returns can be routed to main, auxes and groups

    Best Regards,
    Tobias

    #109171
    Profile photo of creal
    creal
    Participant

    Thanks for your help.

    #109175
    Profile photo of Brian
    Brian
    Participant

    Also, I was incorrect on the number of dedicated FX returns on the SQ series. I thought there was only 4, but there are really 8 so every FX slot can have it’s own dedicated FX return (if needed) without it counting against your aux buss count.

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