Help request for setting up octatrack with compressor for sidechaining

Elektron Gear Octatrack
1

Hey guys. Hope your all doing well. I’m sorry for the stupid question I’ve been searching the fourms and Reddit to try to find an answer to this but I figured I would post while I search and delete later if needed. Any help or insight would really be appreciated.

(As a disclaimer I’m a noob when it comes to hardware FX and mixers… sorry guys…)

So recently I’ve bought a FMR RNLA compressor to use with my octatrack for sidechain duties. The only issue is my main 10 channel mixer is currently being used to route all my synthesizers to my octatrack. So thinking I’m clever I came up with this plan, which I will provide the following diagram for: Imgur: The magic of the Internet

So pretty much I bought a cheap 4 channel mixer.

  1. The main outs of the octatrack are going into the inputs of the compressor,

2)the main outputs of the compressor are then routed into a 4 channel mixer using standard 1/4 TS cables

  1. Meanwhile the kick track will go from the left Cue out of the octatrack, which then using a insert cable will go both into the sidechain input, AND the 4 channel mixer;

  2. finally the 4 channel mixer will connect to my audio interface.

After trying this procedure my problem is that my kick drum is only coming out the left side of my headphones. Which initially I thought was due to using only the left cue out, but my sample is mono and even if I use the right Cue out I’m experiencing the same problem. I think it’s because the insert cable I’m using is unbalanced. Which is leading to my issue. But I’m not 100%.

What do you guys think? Am I being a idiot? Is there any way to hook up my octatrack to a compressor to sidechain without using a FX/Send on a mixer? Any help or insight would really be appreciated and I sincerely apologize if this is dumb or if this has been answered previously… thanks guys :pray:t3:

2

I believe I may have a solution. I’m going to attempt to use a Stereo Y cable instead so the audio evenly goes to both the sidechain input and the 4 channel mixer. I will report back my findings.

3

Why can’t you use both cue outputs and skip the Y cable?

3 Likes
4

Hey man! I’m so dumb I think that would work :sweat_smile: A standard dual 1/4th TS cable should work right? And just plug one into the sidechain input and the other into the mixer?
Thanks for the help by the way man…

5

Are/were you listening to the headphones out from the OT, or the mixer?

1 Like
6

Hey man! Either is a option but right now I am listening out of the Mixer. So that way I can hear the sidechain compression happening.

7

Maybe check this thread?

1 Like
8

Hey man this fixed it! Thank you so much! It turned out that halfway plugging in instead of fully plugging in the insert cable into the mixer and sidechain input on the RNLA fixed the issue. Awesome! I really appreciate the help mate. Thanks!

2 Likes
9

As long as your kick is center panned that should work fine.