Creating a side chain compressor

[lownotesinc]

I have a vocal track that has intense transient peaks at 2500 Hz that are driving me nuts. How do I set up a side chain compressor scenario to only attenuate the peaks at that frequency. (I'm not getting great results from the various de-essers I have.)
Thank you,
-LN

[BobbyDazzler]

What compressor plugins do you have at your disposal?
If you have a multiband like a C4 you can zero in on one band and tame it.
If you want to side chain, just make a dupe of the vocal track, stick an eq on that track and isolate the 2500hz frequency range. Set that tracks output to a bus, use that bus as the key input on you compressor plug on the original vocal track.

[lownotesinc]

I don't have the C4 or C6 yet. Just the CLA, Massey, H-Comp and, Renaissance.
I'll try the vocal dup method for now. Thank you for your suggestion!
-LN

[ondruspat]

Try this, you can even use the stock Digi plugs: dup the vocal track, BOOST the offending frequency, cut everything else, buss this track to the key input of a compressor on your original vocal track. Adjust to taste.

[ondruspat]

Hey, wait!! Bobby already said what I said!! (should have read all of his post!! LOL!!!)

[mightyduck]

Just so you know, if you use a straight e.q. side chain on a regular compressor [rather than using a multiband compressor], it doesn't compress only the "offending frequency".

By boosting the "offending frequency", and sending that to the sidechain, it will be occurences of the "offending frequency" that trigger the compressor, but the compressor, when triggered, will still act on the entire program [not just on the "offending frequency"].

[mbauer1]

A multiband compressor would be your best option here. Take a look at the McDSP MC2000 or ML4000, IMO a hundred times better than any of the waves stuff and way less expensive too.

[mightyduck]

Many people try to avoid multiband compressors because they don't like the fact that many crossovers are employed [i.e. between the "bands"].

So one may want to check to see if a regular compressor, using its sidechain, will give the desired results, first.

YMMV.

There are also various little software compressors that can be configured to work only on a particular area of the spectrum, while leaving the rest untouched. But here again one is probably dealing with some sort of crossover scheme.

[BobbyDazzler]

Originally Posted by ondruspat

Hey, wait!! Bobby already said what I said!! (should have read all of his post!! LOL!!!)

There's an echo in here (or is it a multi tap delay)

[yoerik]

Originally Posted by lownotesinc

How do I set up a side chain compressor scenario to only attenuate the peaks at that frequency. Thank you,
-LN

reference guide p.984