Ultra Sidechain (RMSC) (Patreon)

In this tutorial, I break down the process of creating ring mod sidechain modulation in Bitwig Studio to precisely duck the bass around the kick drum, a popular technique in modern production. I explain why the conventional ring mod side-chaining setup introduces distortion and how to create a cleaner, adjustable version in Bitwig with audio rate modulation.

This video covers two approaches: a straightforward method using Bitwig's built-in tools and a more advanced setup using the FX Grid for maximum control.

Key Points:

Ring Mod Sidechain Basics: Commonly used to duck bass when the kick hits but can cause distortion.

Bitwig's Simple Setup:

Use a Tool device with an audio rate modulator to receive the kick drum signal.

Rectify the kick signal to avoid polarity issues and duck bass volume by -1.

Distortion Issues: Frequency and phase mismatches between kick and bass cause "leaked" frequencies and distortion.

Advanced FX Grid Setup:

Set up a sidechain with envelope followers and a transfer curve to refine the sidechain response.

Fine-tune smoothing and control using the transfer curve for precise cuts.

Recommended Option: For ease, try Bitwig's audio sidechain modulator, which includes band-pass filtering and smoothing.

I’ve included both setups as presets for easy replication!

More! 

Ultra-Sidechain (Grid Sidechain) Download: https://bit.ly/3C5FyK0

RingMod Sidechain (Tool RMSC) Download: https://bit.ly/3Yr1K8C

Video transcribed, summarized and Q&A on my Blog (no ads): https://polarity.me/posts/polarity-music/2024-10-28-ringmod-sidechain-in-bitwig/