Side-Chain Input for VST Instruments
You can send audio into VST 3 instruments that feature a side-chain input. Side-chaining allows you to use the output of one track to control the action of an instrument on another track.
Depending on the instrument, activating its side-chain input allows you to:
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Use the instrument as an effect plug-in on audio events.
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Use the side-chain signal as a modulation source.
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Apply ducking to the instrument, that is, reduce the volume of the instrument track when a signal is present on the audio track.
You can route the audio signal to the side-chain input of an instrument in different ways:
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To process the audio signal completely through the instrument, route the output of the audio track to the side-chain input of an instrument.
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To use both the clean audio signal and the signal processed by the instrument, route a send to the instrument side-chain.
To hear the audio played through the instrument, you must trigger a note, either by playing MIDI events or by playing notes on your external MIDI keyboard.