Using Cubase Frequency 2 for sidechaining

Using Frequency 2 (available in Cubase Pro) for sidechaining is a “game changer” because it creates space for the vocal without making the instruments actually sound quieter. You are only “carving” a hole where the vocal needs to live.

Here is the step-by-step guide to setting this up:

1. Identify the “Clarity Zone”

First, determine where your Lead Vocal is most dominant. Usually, the “intelligibility” of a voice lives between 1.5 kHz and 3.5 kHz. This is the area we want to dip in your instruments.

2. Prepare the Instrument Group

Go to your ALL GTR BUS (or your Piano/Strings groups):

1. Open the Inserts and load Frequency 2.

2. Select a band (e.g., Band 6). Set it to a Peak filter.

3. Set the Frequency to around 2.5 kHz and the Q (width) to about 1.0 (a medium-wide scoop).

3. Activate the Sidechain Node

Now, you need to tell Frequency 2 to “listen” to the vocal:

1. At the top of the Frequency 2 plugin window, click the Activate Side-Chain button (the orange icon that looks like a bracket with an arrow).

2. On Band 6, look for the Dynamic section. Click the Dynamic button to turn it on.

3. Directly next to that, you will see a field that says “Int” (Internal). Click it and change it to “Side-Chain 1”.

4. Send the Vocal to the EQ

Now you must physically route the vocal signal into that EQ:

1. Go to your Lead Vocal track.

2. Open the Sends rack.

3. Click an empty slot and look for “Side-chains”. You should see Frequency 2 - [Your Instrument Group Name]. Select it.

4. Important: Turn the Send on and set the Level to 0.0 dB.

5. Dial in the Settings (The “Invisible” Scoop)

Go back to the Frequency 2 window on your instrument group. While the song is playing:

1. Lower the Threshold on Band 6. You will see a second “target” line appear on the EQ curve.

2. Adjust the Threshold until the EQ band dips about -2 dB or -3 dB only when the singer speaks.

3. Set the Attack to 20 ms (so it doesn’t “pop” in) and the Release to 150 ms (so it flows with the vocal phrasing).

Why this is better than a compressor:

• When the vocal is silent, the guitars and piano have all their “bite” and high-end back.

• When the vocal starts, only the “fighting frequencies” are lowered.

• The listener doesn’t hear the volume changing; they just hear a vocal that is suddenly much easier to understand.

Pro Tip for Your Workflow

You can apply this same Frequency 2 instance to your GUITAR GRP, KEYS GRP, and STRINGS GRP. You can even use different bands for each! For example:

• Guitars: Duck at 3 kHz (for clarity).

• Piano/Strings: Duck at 500 Hz (to remove “muddiness” from the vocal’s body).