Side-Chaining - Tutorial article

Wwise Side-Chaining In recent years, dynamic mixing has achieved broader adoption in videogames. Real-time parameter controls, mix events, and mixer snapshots are frequently used to control audio focus. Now, the use of a powerful tool for achieving clarity in games—“side-chaining”–is also starting to emerge. Side-chaining consists of monitoring the level of an audio signal and using it to manipulate another audio signal. A concrete example of side-chaining occurs in radio broadcasting where a DJ's voice automatically ducks the music volume. In music production, side-chaining is often used to control the energy in the low end of the frequency spectrum when the bass drum quickly ducks the bass volume. Game Application For games, side-chaining is a great tool for controlling the player's focus and for reducing the cacophony when all hell breaks loose. It also helps to prioritize and clean the mix for objects within the same categories. Garry Taylor, Audio Manager for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, summarized the advantages of side-chaining for games in an interview stating that "Side-chaining is all about control. It enables us to select the most important sounds or sets of sounds and to automatically ride the volumes of other sounds so that the important ones cut through the mix. Unlike event based ducking, side-chaining will take into account any transients within the sounds to be focussed on, and not just reduce the volume of a ...