What are the benefits of using a sidechain input on a gate for drums?

Choose a sidechain input that is similar to the original signal. This will help the gate to react more naturally. Experiment with different settings for the threshold, attack, and release. These settings will affect how quickly the gate opens and closes, as well as how much of the original signal is allowed through. Use a sidechain input to create rhythmic effects. You could use a sidechain input from a snare drum to trigger a gate on a bass drum. This will create a pumping effect that can really add some energy to your tracks. Use a sidechain input to create more dynamic mixes, like using a sidechain input from a vocal track to trigger a gate on a background track. This will help to bring the vocals to the forefront of the mix.

Sometimes a sidechain input will be a "previous" version of the signal. Instead of feeding the compressor the same signal, you feed it a control signal from earlier in your chain, with the intention to manipulate the dynamics of the signal later in it. This is not always the case with sidechaining drums, but it's good to know that the sidechain input is not necessarily an "alternative" signal per se.

Sidechaining is a great way to get your drums to sit better in your mix. It can help to reduce muddiness and make your drums sound more defined. Here's how to do it: Choose a gate that has a sidechain input. Route the drum track that you want to gate to the main input of the gate. Route another track or signal to the sidechain input of the gate. Experimentation is key when using sidechaining for drums. There are no rules, so don't be afraid to try different things and see what sounds good to you. With a little practice, you'll be able to use sidechaining to create some amazing sounds. Adjust the gate settings and the sidechain input level to achieve the desired effect.

In my opinion, sidechaining a gate is a game-changer. I love using it to clean up bleed between mics. Like, I'll use the kick to trigger a gate on the snare track – it helps cut out the kick's bleed, keeping the snare super tight. It's also great for creating that classic gated reverb sound on snares. Sometimes I'll use it to tighten up toms too. The cool thing is, it lets me control exactly when I want certain drum elements to pop through the mix. It's a subtle trick, but it can really make your drum tracks sound more polished and intentional.

Another way to add impact to your snare drum is adding a gate to your overhead or room mics with a slightly lower range so that it doesn’t fully “mute” the signal but lower it quite a bit whenever the gate is closed. Then, feed your snare drum into the gate’s side chain input so that it will open whenever the snare is played. This will raise the gain whenever a snare hit is played and make it sound larger than life without artificial reverb.

Another way to add some impact to the drums, especially the snare, is to hold the sticks backwards while playing the part. This is a technique I've usually seen used on the rims to get that sound in Bossa Nova sort of music, but I've found that there's a different kind of sound/punch that provides when using it on snares, toms, et cetera. The feel of the sticks will be a bit strange, but it might be the sound you're looking for.