How To | Setting up External Sidechain Routing for FabFilter Pro-Q 3

Follow the steps below to set up external sidechain routing in your DAW and starting using Pro-Q 3's sidechain feature.

Cubase

1. Open Cubase and create a new empty project.

2. Add two audio tracks that we'll use as main track and side chain track.

3. 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.

4. Open the Mixer. In the main track, click on an empty insert slot and select the VST 3 version of FabFilter Pro-Q 3 in the EQ menu (note the VST 3 icon which looks like ///).

5. In the plug-in header, click on the Activate Side-Chain button (right of the R/W buttons) to enable the external side chain in Cubase.

6. At the top of the Mixer, set the output for the side chain track to the side-chain input of FabFilter Pro-Q 3.

Logic Pro

1. Open Logic Pro and create a new empty project via File > New...

2. Add two audio tracks (via Track > New...) that we'll use as main track and side chain track.

3. 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.

4. Select the main track and add Pro-Q 3 in the first Insert effect slot.

5. In the right top corner of the plug-in interface header, in the 'Side Chain' menu, choose the side chain track. Now, the signal from the side chain track is sent to FabFilter Pro-Q 3's external side-chain input.

Ableton Live

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. From the VST (or Audio Units) plug-in menu, also at the left top of Ableton Live's interface, drag FabFilter Pro-Q 3 onto Track 2, the main track.

4. 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 Pro-Q 3 3/4' instead of the default 'Track In' to route the track's signal to FabFilter Pro-Q 3's external side chain inputs.

Pro Tools

1. Open Pro Tools and start a new empty session.

2. Create two audio tracks that we'll use as main track and side chain track. Add audio files to both track.

3. Open the Mix window to display the tracks with their Insert slots and Sends slots.

4. 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!

5. In the first 'Inserts' slot of the main track, choose EQ > FabFilter Pro-Q 3.

6. 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 Pro-Q 3's external side chain input via Bus 1.