Tutorial: How to apply Sidechain Compression/Ducking in ObS

To apply audio ducking to OBS, you can use the built-in Compressor filter. This filter allows you to reduce the volume of one audio source (the ducked source) in response to the input from another audio source (the sidechain source). This is commonly used to lower the volume of background music when someone is speaking, so that the speaker’s voice can be heard more clearly.

To apply audio ducking in OBS, follow these steps:

1. Open OBS and add the audio sources that you want to duck and sidechain. For example, you might want to duck your game audio and sidechain your microphone.
2. Right-click on the audio source that you want to duck and select Filters.
3. Click on the + button and add the Compressor filter.
4. In the Compressor settings, set the Sidechain/Ducking Source to the audio source that you want to use as the sidechain trigger. For example, if you want to duck your game audio when you speak, you would set the Sidechain/Ducking Source to your microphone.
5. Adjust the Ratio, Threshold, Attack, and Release settings to control how much and how quickly the audio is ducked. Here is a brief overview of each setting:
   • Ratio: This setting controls how much the audio is ducked. A higher ratio will result in more ducking.
   • Threshold: This setting controls the level at which the audio starts to be ducked. A lower threshold will result in earlier ducking.
   • Attack: This setting controls how quickly the audio is ducked. A faster attack will result in more immediate ducking.
   • Release: This setting controls how quickly the audio fades back in after it has been ducked. A slower release will result in a more gradual fade back in.
6. Click OK to save your changes.

You can now test the audio ducking by playing the audio sources that you added to OBS. When you speak into your microphone, the game audio should be ducked. When you stop speaking, the game audio should fade back in.

You can also use audio ducking to duck other audio sources, such as desktop audio or audio from another application. To do this, simply set the Sidechain/Ducking Source to the audio source that you want to duck.

Once you are happy with the audio ducking settings, you can save your OBS scene and start streaming or recording.