What should I sidechain?

[Enkidu]

Hi All,

I'm trying to figure out how to use sidechaining. I know how to do it technically, but I'm not sure what to do it to. My project has 32 instruments, clips and effects. If I use the kick as the trigger, what should I chain? All the instruments? Just the most prominent ones? Or are there certain types that benefit more from sidechaining? What should I look for when trying to decide?

Thanks!

[musikbear]

Hi All,

Hi, Welcome to the Forum Enkidu !
Here are all important links:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4740
-A few rules and useful forum instructions

sidechaining.
If I use the kick as the trigger, what should I chain? All the instruments? Just the most prominent ones? Or are there certain types that benefit more from sidechaining?

sidechaining comes in several subtypes.
You have the one, where the primary reason is to bring the kick forward in the mix -Also expressed as Make room for the kick
In that case you want to sidechain sounds that compete in the frequencies occupied by the kick!
Use a frequency analyser, and look at the various instruments. That way you can find those that 'muffles' / steal frequencies from your kick

But then we have creative sidechaining!
Not in their thousands, but hundreds of different creative types are surely existing. Here the 'pumping' sound-level is a creative part of the track, and it is much harder to give 'standard' recipes for what to add the effect to, but it is very common in trance, to sidechain pads, and change them dramatically that way -Also dynamically, through automation.
Creative sidechaining is different in various edm genres. What is your genre?

(i will btw move this to Production-help :)