Sidechain compression

An audio production technique in which a compressor on one sound is triggered by the signal of another. Most commonly the kick drum controls a compressor on the bass, pads or whole mix, so those sounds briefly drop in volume every time the kick hits and then swell back up. Originally it was used to make room in a mix, keeping the kick and bass from clashing, but in electronic dance music it is often exaggerated as a creative effect. The result is the rhythmic “pumping” or “breathing” sound heard in French house (Daft Punk, Stardust’s “Music Sounds Better with You”), Eric Prydz’s “Call on Me” and much of modern EDM. Today producers often create the effect with dedicated volume-shaping plug-ins such as LFO Tool or Kickstart instead of a true compressor.