User Manual
External side chaining
FabFilter Saturn 2 offers the possibility of feeding an external signal to its side chain, so that you can
make it trigger on a different signal than the audio it is actually processing. Feeding a signal to a plug-
in's side-chain inputs works slightly different in various hosts. This topic describes the procedure for some
of the most popular hosts around: Cubase
, Logic Pro, Ableton Live and Pro Tools.
To explain how it works, we use a scenario with two tracks. The first one contains the audio that we want
to process with Saturn 2, which we'll call the main track from now. The second track contains the audio
that we want to route to Saturn 2's external side-chain input and use as trigger signal. We'll call this
track the side chain track.
After setting up everything according to the instructions below for your host, you can check whether
everything is routed correctly: play the audio and enable FabFilter Saturn 2's Audition button to listen to
the side-chain signal. Afterwards, disable the Audition mode again. Any envelope generators
or envelope
followers that are set to trigger on the external side chain, will now respond to the side chain signal.
Pro Tools
Open Pro Tools and start a new empty session.
Create two audio tracks that we'll use as main track and side chain track. Add audio files to both
track.
Open the Mix window to display the tracks with their Insert slots and Sends slots.
In the first 'Sends' slot of the side chain track, choose 'Bus 1'. The track view for Bus 1 will open:
set its level slider to 0.0 dB so the bus actually produces audio!
In the first 'Inserts' slot of the main track, choose Harmonic > FabFilter Saturn 2.
Open FabFilter Saturn 2's interface and set up an envelope generator or envelope follower,
triggered by the external side chain signal.
Now, in the 'Key Input' menu of the plug-in interface (just above the FabFilter logo), choose bus >
Bus 1 instead of the default 'no key input'. Now, the audio from the side chain track is routed to
Saturn 2's external side chain input via Bus 1.
Studio One
Open Studio One and choose 'Create a new song'.
Add two audio tracks (via Track > Add Tracks...) that we'll use as main track and side chain track.
Add audio files on both the main track and the side chain track. You can simply drag audio files
from a Finder/Explorer window onto a track.
Access the mix window via "Mix" in Studio One’s bottom right corner.
Insert FabFilter Saturn 2 on your main track via the '+' button next to the Insert tab.
Open FabFilter Saturn 2's interface and set up an envelope generator or envelope follower,
triggered by the external side chain signal.
On the side chain track, select Sends > Sidechains > FabFilter Saturn 2.
Ableton Live
Open Ableton Live and start with an empty arrangement. We'll use Track 1 as the side chain track
and Track 2 as the main track.
From the folder menu's on at the left top of Ableton Live's interface, drag different audio clips to
the first empty slots of Track 1 and Track 2.
From the VST (or Audio Units) plug-in menu, also at the left top of Ableton Live's interface, drag
FabFilter Saturn 2 onto Track 2, the main track.
Open FabFilter Saturn 2's interface and set up an envelope generator or envelope follower,
triggered by the external side chain signal.
In Track 1 (the side chain track) in the 'Audio To' menu select 'Track 2' instead of the default
'Master'. Now, an extra menu appears right below: choose 'FF Saturn 2 3/4' instead of the default
'Track In' to route the track's signal to FabFilter Saturn 2's external side chain inputs.
Note: In the scenario above, you won't hear Track 1 (the side-chain signal) anymore, since its
audio is only routed to Saturn 2's side-chain inputs. To avoid this, use one additional track (e.g.
Track 3), choose 'Track 1' from its 'Audio From' dropdown menu, and in the 'Audio To' menu select
'Track 2' instead of the default 'Master'. Now, from the extra menu below choose 'FF Saturn 2 3/4'.
Of course, you can now leave Track 1's 'Audio To' setting to the original 'Master' so you will still
hear the signal.
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