Sidechain - ectoplasma

One sound controls the volume of another. A kick drum hits, and the pad ducks out of the way. The pad swells back up between kicks. The result is a rhythmic pulsing - the mix breathes with the beat. Hit play.

What the controls do

Duck - how deep the volume drops on each beat. Low = subtle dip. High = pad nearly disappears.

Rate - how often the ducking fires, tied to tempo. Faster = tighter rhythm. Slower = more space between pulses.

Release - how quickly the volume recovers after a duck. Short = snaps back. Long = dramatic swell. This one control changes the character more than anything else.

Breath - shapes the recovery curve. Low = clean, mechanical ducking. High = the filter opens up as the pad swells back, like the sound is inhaling.