Enabling side chaining in the Liquid Mix makes a separate set of EQ controls appear on the Liquid Mix GUI.

A copy of the signal incoming to the compressor is sent to this side EQ section, which is then keyed into the compressor and used to trigger it. This can be useful for circumstances such as de-essing a vocal. You can boost around 4kHz of your vocal signal so that whenever there is a peak in the signal around this frequency (on s's and plosives) the compressor acts in a more exaggerated way, giving a more desirable vocal dynamic.

To enable side-chaining:

1. Enable “Side chain monitoring”. This makes the side EQ band appear. You cannot use an EQ emulation for the side EQ.
2. While Side chain Monitoring is enabled, you will only hear the copied signal that is being affected by the Side EQ - you will not hear the effect of the compressor.
3. Switch on the Side EQ to enable the side EQ. This switch should be used to toggle between the original signal and the EQ'd signal, to help you set up your side EQ settings more effectively.
4. Now switch off the Side chain monitoring.

What you will be able to hear now is the effect of the compressor with the side chain signal engaged. You will only hear the effect of the side EQ'd signal - you will not hear the side EQ'd signal directly.

To A/B the side chain signal with the effect of the compressor acting naturally, you need to do so in a few steps:

• To switch from side-chained compression to normal compression, just switch off the Side EQ. This, however, causes the side EQ settings to be hidden.
• To switch back to monitoring the side-chained signal, you need to first enable side chain monitoring to bring up the side EQ, then switch on the side EQ before switching off the side chain monitoring again.

This feature is available from version 2.0 onwards. Please ensure that you have the latest version of the Liquid Mix software installed by visiting our downloads page.