Sonic Academy SideKick

Pro Sidechain Ducking, Completely Free

Kick and bass fighting each other is the oldest problem in electronic music — and Sonic Academy SideKick solves it for free. It’s a volume shaper and spectral ducking plugin that carves space for your kick with a drawable volume envelope triggered by the sidechain, plus true spectral ducking that only ducks the frequencies that actually clash.

Draw the Groove, Don’t Dial It

Forget threshold and ratio. In Sonic Academy SideKick you draw the ducking envelope itself — the exact shape, timing and depth of every pump — and trigger it from your kick via sidechain. The result is sidechain compression with the precision of automation: tight, musical and perfectly in the pocket, every time.

Spectral Ducking: Only Duck What Clashes

Traditional sidechain ducks everything. SideKick’s spectral ducking mode is smarter: it analyses the kick and only attenuates the overlapping frequencies in the bass, leaving the rest of the low end untouched. Your bass stays full and powerful while the kick punches through — no more hollow, over-ducked low end.

More Than a Pumper

SideKick goes beyond classic sidechain: a ring modulation mode adds rhythmic texture and movement, delta monitoring lets you hear exactly what’s being removed, Mid/Side processing keeps your stereo image intact, and a dedicated sidechain trigger filter tightens detection. With waveform displays and 100+ presets, you’re making music in minutes — not reading manuals.

Free Means Free

This is the full SideKick plugin, free in our Free VST Download section. AU, VST3 and AAX for macOS — please note this version is Mac only — ready for Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro and every other major DAW.

Every customer receives their own individual license key. Your download links and license arrive by email right after checkout.

Specifications

• Volume shaper with drawable sidechain-triggered envelope
• Spectral ducking mode — ducks only clashing frequencies
• Ring modulation mode for rhythmic textures
• Delta monitoring, Mid/Side processing, sidechain trigger filter
• Waveform displays, 100+ presets
• Formats: AU, VST3, AAX; macOS only

FAQ

Is SideKick really free?

Yes — it’s listed in our Free VST Download section at no cost.

Do I need a sidechain input?

SideKick triggers from a sidechain input (typically your kick), which every major DAW supports.

What’s the difference between volume shaping and spectral ducking?

Volume shaping ducks the whole signal’s level with your drawn envelope; spectral ducking only attenuates the frequencies that clash with the kick, keeping the rest intact.

Which DAWs work with SideKick?

Any DAW hosting AU, VST3 or AAX plugins on macOS — this version is Mac only.