If you’re a producer, there’s a strong possibility you either use sidechain compression or have heard of it.

For those who are unfamiliar, sidechaining means using the output of one track, such as a kick drum, to alter the compression on another track, such as a bassline. In simple terms, it’s a way to set up your mix so that when one sound comes in, another one quiets down.

Producer SG Lewis explains to us how he uses this effect in his music, and the settings he chooses to get the acquired, signature sound.