Using one virtual instrument to trigger another (sidechain)

You can achieve interesting hybrid sounds and complex textures by using the output of a virtual instrument as the input of another virtual instrument.

 

In this example, I have created two Audio Instrument track in my Arrange window, and inserted ES 1 on the first, and Sculpture on the second. I will use Sculpture to trigger the ES 1.

 

The first step is to send the output of Sculpture to a Bus. Here I use Bus 9:

http://www.logicprohelp.com/files/bus9_202.jpg

 

[optional] If you're going to do this a lot, you might want to name the Bus 'ES 1' so you can always see that the signal is sent to the ES 1. This is done in the Audio > Audio Configuration window, by going to View > i/o labels:

http://www.logicprohelp.com/files/bus-es1_205.jpg

 

The next setp is to set the 'sidechain' parameter in the ES 1's GUI to Bus 9:

http://www.logicprohelp.com/files/gui_105.jpg.

 

Finally, in the ES 1 GUI, set the sub oscillator to 'EXT', and adjust the 'Mix' parameter toward the sub oscillator:

http://www.logicprohelp.com/files/pic_721.jpg

 

Keep in mind that both instruments must be fed MIDI Notes in order to produce sound. The most dramatic results are obtained by recording a rythmic pattern on the Scultpure track, and set Sculpture to a percussive sound, then play different chords or melodies with a sustaining pad or lead sound on the ES 1.

 

Happy tweaking!

Edited September 20, 2006 by David Nahmani

one word : briljant !

 

Thx for sharing this !

 

 

Rob.

Endless possibilities…

Thank you so much

Nice one David! Awesome!

I tried doing this but I guess I might be missing a step David. Is there another way? I did exactly what you said but the first plug in doesn't seem to trigger the other. I don't know whats wrong? Please help! Thanks.

Hey Christopher, you must be missing a step indeed. Try again, and follow closely each instruction (except for the labels which are an option).

 

And don't forget to have MIDI information playing on BOTH tracks.

I did it again and nothing is really happening. I have midi information playing in both inst. 1 and inst. 2. To me its no different than just opening up sculpture and ES1 and then have midi information playing in both.

 

The good thing is I know what you are trying to help me do, I just for some reason can't do it right. Please don't get frustrated with me. Thanks for the help.

I don't know how to help you further, everything is in the original post. Make sure you don't have the same MIDI information on both tracks. Make the Sculpture track really percussive and the ES1 a simple sustained patch.

 

You can also set Bus 9 to "no output" so you can really hear the difference when monitoring the ES 1.

Thanks for the help, I will keep trying. One question though, Why do you have to use a bus, and what are bus's for? Thanks again!

It's for routing Audio signal. In that case I use it to route the output of Sculpture in ES1's sidechain.

Hi David, Is there a way to do this with Logic Express ? (I don't have Pro). My ES1 doesn't seem to offer a "sidechain" button. I am new to Logic; brand new to this forum.

I did it again and nothing is really happening. I have midi information playing in both inst. 1 and inst. 2. To me its no different than just opening up sculpture and ES1 and then have midi information playing in both.

 

I tried this before and didn't get much joy out of it. It sounded like both tracks were the same, just like you. But I just tried this instead.... I used a regular send with bus 9 (I don't have a bus 9 objecat in my enviro, so no need to set it's output to no output) on the sculpture track with the send set to "pre", turned off the volume on the sculpture channel strip and then listened to the ES1 track to see if I could hear anything different. OK, I was expecting to hear some sort of pulse in the ES1 sound (still didn't) but in fact, the thing that you can hear is when you move the cutoff control, it filters both the ES1 and the Sculpture sound at the same time. Now that's useful!

cheers david, ur a champ

To be honest David didn't use the finest of example here.

 

Following the example, you should hear the Sculpture playing out of both Bus 9 and now also The Instrument Object that has the ES1

 

A far better example: Send the ES1 to Sculpture.

 

Reset ES1

 

Send output of ES1 to Bus 9.

 

Set Bus 9's output to 'No Output' So you do not hear it coming out of the bus, pre sidechain.

 

Set Sculpture output to whatever it is normally (usually Output 1-2)

 

Set Sculpture's Side Chain to Bus 9

 

Switch on Object 2 and set it's type to External

 

Make sure both tracks are Midi Recieving.

 

Play!

 

Now you are using the ES1 To Excite the virtual string in Sculpture, but Imagine if your voice was the Exciter, or maybe a bizzare sample from the EXS24 exciting a complex synthesis algorithm, such as one of it's atmospheric pads.

http://logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=2780

way to go david !!

this is the s#!+ I'm looking for !!

thanks

" Keep in mind that both instruments must be fed MIDI Notes in order to produce sound. "

 

I did all of these except the one above.... How can I do that?

just press the record enable button "R" on both channels in the arrange window, and record as usual.

This is a very simple audio demonstration of what a bass from ES2 sounds like when sidechained to the EXS24 playing various beats.

 

Output the beat to a bus, sidechain the ES2 to the bus. Use the matrix router in the ES2 to set Destination = Cutoff, and then Source = Sidechain. Adjust the relevant slider in the matrix and the cutoff button until you get the desired result.

 

Voilá

 

Audio

First the bass without sidechaining, then the exact same thing but sidechained. Notice how the cutoff automatically follows the beat as it changes.

http://www.popmusic.dk/temp/sidechained.mp3

 

One more I just made: vocal + pad, sounds slightly like vocoder but not quite

http://www.popmusic.dk/temp/vocalpad.mp3

 

This last example could be reversed, i.e. the pad is up when the vocals not singing, then filtered down when the vocal is up, that'll act a bit like volume ducking but only in the top frequencies.

Nice tip, thanks!

And, the side chain input into the ES2 turns the audio into a control envelope by way of an envelope follower. That new envelope can be patched in as a source in the the control matrix to be sent to lots of destinations do all kinds of cool stuff!

Hi, I have Logic Express.

I can only select Tracks under Side Chain. Is this feature missing from Logic Express?

 

Cheers.

You still need to "plug it in" and patch it to a destination in the control matrix along the bottom of the ES2.

And, the side chain input into the ES2 turns the audio into a control envelope by way of an envelope follower. That new envelope can be patched in as a source in the the control matrix to be sent to lots of destinations do all kinds of cool stuff!

 

Can you explain this in more detail....think this is what i've been searching for.

 

REF:http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=55131#55131

 

Cheers

C

Arrhhh!! sorry!!!

 

silly me...I only saw the second page....All the juicy stuff is on the first...I will go back and read now.

 

Cheers

C

Hi yep I'm with Christopher on this one i followed your instructions exactly 3 or 4 times and sculpture is not triggering ES1. However, thanks for the tip on naming the bus, I have been looking for that for a long time and have even asked the guys on the logic stand at 2 trade shows and they did'nt know, so thanks for that much appreciated.

my ES1 dosnt seem to have a sidechain option either, any ideas why or am i doing something wrong?

This is a very simple audio demonstration of what a bass from ES2 sounds like when sidechained to the EXS24 playing various beats.

 

Output the beat to a bus, sidechain the ES2 to the bus. Use the matrix router in the ES2 to set Destination = Cutoff, and then Source = Sidechain. Adjust the relevant slider in the matrix and the cutoff button until you get the desired result.

 

One more I just made: vocal + pad, sounds slightly like vocoder but not quite

http://www.popmusic.dk/temp/vocalpad.mp3

 

This last example could be reversed, i.e. the pad is up when the vocals not singing, then filtered down when the vocal is up, that'll act a bit like volume ducking but only in the top frequencies.

 

Hey Lagerfeldt,

I like the overall lush vocal treatments here - (verb & delay?) (for this type of FX).... Could you/would you be so kind as to explain your vocal channel strip settings/plugins?

thanks

Eric

my ES1 dosnt seem to have a sidechain option either, any ideas why or am i doing something wrong?

Which version of Logic? Express, Pro? 7, 8?

Does this work in Logic Pro 8 as well? Thanks