Tag Archives: Ableton Live

Ableton Multiband Sidechain Compressor Effect Rack

 

Multiband sidechain compressor for Ableton Live 8.x

Multiband Sidechain Compressor for Ableton Live 8.x

Looking for a way to create this effect I found this post explaining how I’ll need Linkwitz-Riley filters to make a perfect crossover between the low, mid and high frequencies. Searching for a Linkwitz-Riley filter for Mac didn’t yield the results I was hoping for. But then I realized the original multiband dynamics effect build into Ableton features a solo button for the low, mid and high frequencies. The crossover used in the multiband compressor should be flat, meaning the frequency response is the same before and after the effect (if no compression is applied). Using these filters already available in Ableton Live I made a simple effect rack where you can control the crossover for the three bands and adjust the compression for each band separately. Now you can side-chain each band!

I made this rack specifically for side-chaining because there’s already a multiband dynamics compressor in Ableton, which this effect-rack uses. But, the rack allows for some creative use meaning you can side-chain one band and ignore the other two bands, or compress one band normally, sidechain the other, and ignore the third one. There are many more combinations possible, so go nuts if you feel you have to!

In it’s default setting nothing is happening to the signal. On the left you’ll find two buttons for adjusting the crossover and you’ll notice three channels (low, mid and high) just on the left of the middle in the grouped device. Each channel/band has it’s own compressor, on the right. These compressors are set to the default setting and side-chain is switched on. Select the band you want to side-chain or compress, adjust the compressor to taste and hey presto! (Side-chain) compression is applied to the band you require compressed.

Download here!

Made in Ableton Live 8.3, older versions might work. Feel free to confirm which versions work, or not, in the comments below.

Edit: The zip-file might unpack the effect rack without the proper extension! If so, simply add “.adg” (without quotes) to the end of the file name.