How to deal with sidechain compression in modular techno - with Knobula Kickain

Sidechain compression plays an important part in a lot of electronic music. In this video I explain what sidechain compression is, and how to patch crude side chain compression with a VCA. But I also go over the functions and features of the Knobula Kickain. A creative module that produces a powerful kick, and applies side chain compression to an incoming signal. This offers some powerful options.
Patreon: / monotrail
Affiliate links:
Perfect Circuit - US - bit.ly/3Yn0Gll
Sound of You - EU bit.ly/3DzdFYi
Clockface - AS - bit.ly/3YkDJ1B
Follow my channel ‪@Monotrailmusic‬ if you are interested in my music!
Timetable:
00:00 - Intro & sounds
01:34 - Sidechain compression
03:51 - Kickain overview
09:38 - Stereo mode patches
10:46 - Stereo mode flowchart
11:20 - Audiodemo 2
11:55 - Audiodemo 3
12:37 - Audiodemo 4
12:57 - Modulation Patch
13:24 - Mono mode patches
14:14 - Mono mode flowchart
14:40 - Audiodemo 7
15:19 - Audiodemo 8
15:58 - Audiodemo 9
16:46 - Mono return flowchart
17:04 - Audiodemo 10
17:35 - Kick sounds
Special thanks to Legendary & Crazy Patrons:
Michael Rutchik
Wayne Cowan
Steve Williams
Glnds
Kickroot
Christoph von der Heyden
Giorgio Festa
Sebastijan Semiz
James thompson
Let’s connect!:
Instagram: / monotrail
Facebook: / monotrailmusic
Soundcloud: / monotrailmusic
Bandcamp: monotrail.bandcamp.com
KZbin: / monotrailmusic
#eurorack #knobula #kickain

[@darkpolarmusic]

You have the power module in the middle of your case. Crazy! 😜. Great demo and walkthrough 👌🏻

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hahaha, why is that crazy!? A lot of people put it in the top right corner or so, but that is the best place for knob tweaking ;) Cheers!

[@GoGoGoRunRunRun]

I always put the power in the left corner. Being right handed, this works pretty well, but putting it right into the middle is pretty cool!

[@NEVERSLEEPmovies]

Oh - this is awesome. I actually planned to ban bassdrums out of my modules by using the Analog Rytm for that behalf - plus sidechaining the modular stereo signal from there. But what the Kickain offers is pretty awesome - plus the bassdrum sounds are just perfectly to my taste.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad you liked it! I'm not a big fan of drum modules in general. And the Rytm is so powerful, a popular choice for good reason. But the Kickain really ties this case together. I really liked the idea of a very small all-inclusive case, and it's perfect for that :)

[@xavierxeon]

the droid looks very useful in the small case

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Yes it is! Have been improving the patch for this. Will also come back to it, and talk more about this case in general! All the best :)

[@sophiestellakis]

I learn a lot with your channel AND have good time too because I think your explanations are always well made with good musical examples. I’d like to know if you could name other musicians doing that same kind of techno, or some albums you would recommand for a good techno culture/knowledge for somebody like me who doesn’t have this as a background. I have read that you will do some more videos about this set up and that’s good news

[@NickVu]

Best Kickain demo I've seen! I'd love a video on how you're using the Stereo Triggered Sampler. I've had my eye on it.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks for watching! And then you might like the videos below. I made them before I invested in a better camera and dedicated studio, but the ideas are still useful :) With melodic ideas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/foDOlZqafb9mhcU With percussive ideas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpytpquaaN6IbJo

[@NickVu]

@@MonotrailTechTalk This is what I'm looking for, thanks!!

[@martintaylor9205]

Super slick, devoured this whole setup, so powerful for small case, hope u demo this more as you would set a Live performance with transitions between different track elements that would be awesome, more of this as my thoughts are a small case as an instrument because you have created a monster Techno machine love the sonics, less is more, I’m bias as I have Kickain,Magic👍🆒🎶

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks for the comment! And have that exact plan! This case is pretty new, first time it really comes together as planned in this video. Next year I will do a full case walk-trough, and than indeed use it for other videos about signal flow and performing! All the best :)

[@FreeThink1984]

Great video. Great jams. WIll be checking out your bandcamp. Based.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Awesome, thank you! :)

[@lukestunt1311]

cool sounds! also have a look at cosmotronic messor!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks, and will do! Cheers :)

[@julielesova3001]

yeah you should do setup walkthrouh. looks very useful.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Will do! I have been working hard to clear my schedule for next year and make more time for the channel. I plan to bring the focus back to my own setups, synth and patch ideas, and performance and songwriting topics. This case will come back a lot! all the best :)

[@timvl5889]

Very cool! I really like the sound coming from this system. Do you have an overview on the modules and patches? (E.g. both synth voices). Otherwise for me it would be very interesting to see a video on this system as a whole! Sometimes I have difficulty finding the right modules and patches to get to a certain sound (and I really like this sound!)

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hello! I promised this video a while ago, so did this first. But I made this system because techno is a popular request for the channel. I will for sure do a full case overview, with in depth patches and ideas for this setup soon! All the best :)

[@arqner3493]

@@MonotrailTechTalk I also want it

[@kisho2679]

what's the difference between "sidechain" and "envelope follower"?

[@alexfield4703]

we've all done it, no need to be embarrassed. a little poop never hurt anyone!

[@guyfawkes6712]

One potential issue with this pedal . How would you put delay in the kick or another effect if the whole mix is running though it. It doesn’t have separate outputs for the kick alone.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hello! If you run in mono mode you have a separate output for the kick. I explain this setup in the mono mode chapter :)

[@cores303]

I bought one.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Woeps, haha, enjoy! :)

[@GoGoGoRunRunRun]

Clever! And it‘s even a pretty solid kick! Is it possible to turn down the transient click completely? In your examples with a stereo mix, did you go from your desktop mixer right into the stereo inputs on the Kickain or did you boost the levels first?

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Depends a little on your definition, but I'd say the transient can be basically gone. I mix within the modular, and send a stereo modular signal to the Kickain, then outboard.

[@GoGoGoRunRunRun]

@@MonotrailTechTalk I see. Thx. Great they included a send/return function, so we can always filter the transient out for super clean kicks Btw, the kicks remind me of the Analog Rytm's kicks, especially the 909ish bd machines.

[@arqner3493]

Would you add ghost from endorphine to this setup or it would be redundant?

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hello! I really like Ghost, but in this setup there would be to much overlap indeed. I wouldn't need the sidechain/compression/filter from ghost. But I am considering to make my techno case stereo, and include mixing and reverb. But will see. An outboard mixer is also very easy for that :)

[@serdarsaydan]

Hey, Is the reverb also availeble when the kick is not triggert? Thx

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Nope! The reverb is only applied to the generated kick. Not to the signal passing through the module.

[@serdarsaydan]

@@MonotrailTechTalk thx and good to know

[@somberville3351]

Heh, watching this clip because of the awesome track sketches rather than the info :D

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Ill take that as a compliment, thanks for watching in any case :) Cheers!

[@somberville3351]

@@MonotrailTechTalk Oh that's definitely a compliment! Your content is always top notch, just this time the actual musical examples were also even more top notch than usual!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Yeah have to admit I liked making these a lot. I got carried away jamming a bit more than usual :)

[@edgodsall3740]

This channel makes me laugh, bless him for trying tho…

[@alexfield4703]

one time I was on stage, in the middle of a set in front of at least 2,000 people. my career was just getting started, or so I thought at the time. I was opening for skrillex, at a night club in Botswana. Everything was going great, the whole time, then during my last song, I was building building building.. right when the drop hit idk if it was a brown note or what but I pooped myself somethin' real fierce. it was all liquidy and runny too so it didn't stay in my pantaloons for long, as I had hoped I could hide it until the song was over. but it started pouring down my leg and filling up my shoes and socks.. but the song was almost over. nobody had noticed yet, so I thought I could keep going and I would just finish the set then go straight to the bathroom. well unfortunately I stepped towards my dj decks, and the whole table flipped over.. some of the runny poop had gathered on one end of it, and all of a sudden was launched full speed at the crowd. it was a lot of poop. the most I had ever seen. fully airborne flying directly at the audience. I knew what I had to do. I turned to run to the bathroom before anyone realized what had happened. unfortunately my poopy shoes and socks were slippery and as I tripped several large chunks of liquid shit were expelled forcefully from my exhausted rectum, the biggest of which hit skrillex right in the face, splattering green brown smelly liquid all over. I looked up, and was immediately grabbed by security, taken out back, beaten to within an inch of my life, and forced to eat my own excrement. I ended up almost dying of fecal florintudanal meningitis, the rarest known disease in Africa at the time. I still can't walk, talk properly, and am covered in brown green boils all over that occasionally pop and leak smelly fecal liquid all over the place. but my family takes care of me. I was so close to hitting it big, then I just had to have all that extra seafood and Long Island iced tea before my set. now im going to die covered in poop in my smelly bedroom. let that be a lesson to you.