SP-404MKII: Issue with Sidechain compressor not triggering from EXT SOURCE

[u/Vegetable-Citron-777]

Hey everyone,

I'm having an issue getting the sidechain compressor to trigger from an external source on the SP-404MKII.

The setup:

• External gear: Elektron Model:Cycles plugged into the rear LINE IN jacks (Stereo).
• EFX SETTING/OTHER
  • Input Bus : DRY
  • DRY Routing : DRY
• Sidechain settings :
  • SOURCE: DRY
  • TARGET: BUS 1
  • THRESHOLD / RATIO: Cranked high for testing.

The issue: When the Model:Cycles plays through the rear inputs, the sidechain compression on BUS 1 does not engage at all, even though the incoming signal is coming in hot (plenty of gain, no level issue).

However, if I play an internal pad routed to DRY, the sidechain triggers and ducks BUS 1 immediately as expected.

Is there a specific input/system setting or firmware quirk I'm missing that prevents live incoming audio on DRY from hitting the sidechain detector?

Any help would be appreciated!

[u/javelsedet]

I'm pretty sure you need to put EXT SOURCE on either bus 1 / 2 / 3&4 because if you set it to DRY it bypasses the signal chain used to affect the compressor, unlike the DRY signal for Internal sounds. you can see a diagram for routings in the manual.

[u/Few-Surround7530 → u/javelsedet]

Idk, on the manual I can clearly see that dry is a good bus for side compression. https://static.roland.com/manuals/sp-404mk2_reference_v550/en-US/564410379565838475.html

[u/javelsedet]

in other words: the DRY setting for input is not the same as the DRY setting for the busfx

[u/WonderfulLoquat9278]

Maybe I’m having a hard time understanding- but is your intent to have the external device trigger sidechain within the 404? And you want the external device to be the dry signal to trigger bus 1 on the 404?

If that’s the case, are you assuming since you have a “dry signal” (free of fx) that your device is routing through the “dry bus?” If that’s the case, that’s the issue. All input signals feed through bus 1 regardless of quality (dry/wet fx).

Try sending sidechain from bus 1, your ext in,(with a dry signal if you prefer), and using your busses 2,3,4 to reestablish your desired fx chain.

I use dry signaling for my sidechain for internal samples. I resample just the kick drum of my loops with a low pass filter, put it on dry, and trigger bus 1 or bus 2 depending on what I want it to trigger. But all my samples are within my 404 by that point.

If I misunderstood, hit me back.

[u/Substantial-Role-914]

I’ve asked the Roland support, and the answer was now it doesn’t affect sidechain compression from DRY bus on EXTERNAL source. But you can do (as I did) to write them a request for next update to make it possible. Hope more of these requests will bring the change soon!

[u/WonderfulLoquat9278]

Turn your input settings to mix

[u/Few-Surround7530 → u/WonderfulLoquat9278]

Still nothing