Jon Hopkins Sidechain Gate Trick on Ableton Push 3

Learn how to recreate the evolving sidechain gate sound from Jon Hopkins’ Emerald Rush using only stock Ableton plugins on the Push 3 standalone.

Jon Hopkins does not use sidechain compression the way most producers do. Instead of ducking volume, he uses a sidechain gate to slice a sustained synth into a rhythmic, evolving texture. This tutorial walks through exactly how to pull that off on the Ableton Push 3 standalone using nothing but stock plugins.

What It Does

The technique routes a muted MIDI trigger track into the sidechain input of Ableton’s stock Gate audio effect. Because the Gate is set to open on an external sidechain signal rather than the audio passing through it, the rhythm of the trigger clip determines when the synth is heard. The result is a chopped, pulsing sound that feels alive rather than static.

By shaping the Gate’s attack, hold, and release controls, the character of each slice changes dramatically. A slow attack softens the transient. A short hold keeps things tight. A longer release lets the tail breathe. These three controls together give you the expressive, morphing quality that defines the Hopkins sound.

Once the basic routing is in place, the tutorial covers recording automation directly on the Push 3 to move those Gate parameters over time, and then introduces Max for Live modulators as a way to keep parameters evolving beyond the length of a single clip.

How to Use It

• Set up the trigger track: Create a MIDI track with a rhythmic pattern and mute it so it produces no audible output.
• Add the Gate to your synth track: Navigate to Audio Effects on the Push 3 and load the stock Gate device.
• Enable sidechain on the Gate: Press the Gate button, go into the sidechain section, set the source to your muted trigger track, and switch it to external.
• Use the listen function: Temporarily enable the listen button on the Gate’s sidechain to hear what the trigger signal sounds like before it affects the audio.
• Shape the envelope: Adjust attack to control how quickly the gate opens, hold to set how long it stays open, and release to determine how fast it shuts. Start by experimenting with release for the most immediate results.
• Record automation on the Push 3: Double-click the track to arm it, confirm automate is active, then press record and move the Gate parameters in real time.
• Add movement with Max for Live modulators: Map an LFO or shaper to Gate parameters to keep values evolving independently of clip length, using the modulator mapping introduced in the Push 2.4 update.

Why It Matters

Sidechain compression as a pumping effect has become ubiquitous to the point of being predictable. The sidechain gate approach flips the concept entirely: rather than turning something down, it turns something on. Combined with parameter automation and Max for Live modulation, this method produces textures that continuously shift without repeating, which is precisely what gives records like Emerald Rush their sense of forward motion. It is a technique that works across ambient, electronica, and melodic techno, and it requires nothing beyond what is already included with Ableton Live Suite.