> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gridshift.studio/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Sidechain

> Three sidechain modes — Audio, MIDI, and Trigger Impulse — with sample-accurate timing and configurable lookahead.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/kern/WPR8cAd5fvUM3vZT/images/screenshots/sidechain-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=WPR8cAd5fvUM3vZT&q=85&s=fda0a7e2fe68ac3c228ecb1bbfe717ec" alt="Plugin strip sidechain panel showing source and mode selection" className="dark:hidden" width="944" height="624" data-path="images/screenshots/sidechain-light.png" />

  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/kern/WPR8cAd5fvUM3vZT/images/screenshots/sidechain-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=WPR8cAd5fvUM3vZT&q=85&s=2f1a83a2c150b466134cd3cb100d498f" alt="Plugin strip sidechain panel showing source and mode selection" className="hidden dark:block" width="952" height="630" data-path="images/screenshots/sidechain-dark.png" />
</Frame>

**Sidechain** routes one track's signal to control a plugin on another track, through three modes: Audio, MIDI, and Trigger Impulse.

Gridshift supports traditional audio sidechain routing as well as trigger-based modes. MIDI and Trigger Impulse modes use clip start positions and MIDI note-on events as triggers — since these positions are known ahead of time, there is no detection delay.

## Set up a sidechain

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open a plugin in the Plugin Strip">
    Open a plugin in the [Plugin Strip](/features/plugin-strip) (click the plugin card to expand it).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Switch to the Sidechain tab" />

  <Step title="Select a source track" />

  <Step title="Choose a mode" />
</Steps>

## Modes

| Mode                | Description                                                                                 |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Audio**           | Routes the source track's audio to the plugin's sidechain input bus                         |
| **MIDI**            | Sends MIDI note-on events at note and clip positions to the plugin                          |
| **Trigger Impulse** | Generates synthetic audio impulses at note and clip positions to the plugin's sidechain bus |

Available modes depend on the plugin's capabilities (sidechain bus, MIDI input) and the source track type.

## Lookahead

MIDI and Trigger Impulse modes show a **Lookahead** slider (0–15 ms) that fires events early to compensate for plugin attack time. This works by looking ahead in the timeline — it does not add latency.

## Via MCP

The same routing is available to AI assistants through the [`plugin_configure`](/features/mcp-server) tool. Set up classic kick→bass ducking in one call:

```json theme={null}
{
  "track_name": "Bass",
  "plugin_slot_index": 0,
  "sidechain": {
    "mode": "trigger_impulse",
    "source_track_name": "Kick",
    "lookahead_ms": 5
  }
}
```

Modes accept `audio`, `midi`, `trigger_impulse`, or `none` (to disconnect). `audio` and `trigger_impulse` require the plugin to expose a sidechain input bus; the call returns a clear error otherwise.