Ducking

(, Duck of Engl. To duck ) is a ducking in audio engineering term used for the selective, automatic highlighting of an audio signal. In this case, the emphasized signal is not amplified, but lowered the remaining signals. Ducking can be achieved both with electronic devices (hardware ) and by computer programs (software).

In radio and television productions, the Ducking is used mostly in the translation of foreign-language original sounds: the software command " ducking " sets the volume of the original automatically at those places down, where the translator 's voice is heard (the " voice-over "). In music production ducking is a musical effect. Producers of pop music and especially dance music use this technique in several ways. For example, certain acoustic signals are selectively lowered, more present, about the bass drum at each of their strokes to emphasize bass lines or other sounds. Another popular application is the so-called " side-chaining ". Here, a compressor is used to create a ducking effect, in which an instrument (such as a kick drum ) the control path of the compressor controls the turn to another instrument (eg synthesizer) acts and causes a modulation of this second signal. This technique is also known as triggers.

Functioning in music

Ducking is for example used to highlight the song: Uses the voice which hitherto dominant music will automatically shut down and when singing a break occurs, highly regulated again. Also, a bass line, whose frequency response would be superimposed without ducking with use of the kick can be procured more space in this way. The control is made automatically by so-called ADSR circuits (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) that their envelope from the volume of the signal to be highlighted, for example, determine the vocal track and apply it to the volume of the music.

With excessive use of this technique, in particular for low to ADSR time constants for sustain and release, there is the risk of creating a sometimes experienced as unpleasant " pumping effect". Attempts to aestheticise this effect are, for example, Call on me in the version of Eric Prydz or Hung Up by Madonna.