Ducking
Definition
A technique using sidechain compression to automatically reduce the level of one signal when another is present. Most commonly used to lower music volume when dialogue or voiceover appears, or to create space in a mix for a lead element.
In Simple Terms
Automatically lowering one sound when another appears — like background music dropping when the podcast host starts talking. Set it up once with sidechain compression and it works hands-free for the whole session.
In Practice
In a podcast mix, background music is routed through a compressor with the host's voice on the sidechain. Every time the host speaks, the music ducks slightly beneath the dialogue automatically.
Common Confusion
Ducking and the EDM "sidechain pump" use the same technique with opposite intent. Ducking aims to be invisible — listeners notice the music gets quieter under dialogue but never the gain change itself. The pump effect deliberately exposes the gain change as a rhythmic motion. Same plugin, opposite goal: hidden vs. heard.
Sources & Verification
- Owsinski, B. — The Mixing Engineer's Handbook (4th ed.)Bobby Owsinski Media Group, 2017
- Holman, T. — Sound for Film and Television (3rd ed.)Focal Press, 2010
Last verified: 2026-05-05