Sonic Academy SideKick 1.0.4 for Mac

Mac Utilities

Updated Aug 10, 2026

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SideKick from Sonic Academy is an audio plugin built to solve the oldest dance music problem of all: getting the kick and the bass to share the same space. Instead of fighting a compressor, you draw the exact ducking shape you want and let the plugin follow it.

Key Features

• Fully drawable volume envelopes where you add nodes, bend curves, draw freehand and snap points to the grid
• Spectral ducking builds a 24 band inverse EQ from the sidechain signal, reducing only the frequencies that clash with your kick
• Multiband processing splits the signal into low, mid and high bands, each with its own envelope and mix level
• Five working modes in one plugin: host sync, MIDI trigger, audio trigger, spectral ducking and sidechain ring modulation
• Automatic phase alignment, delta monitoring, waveform overlays and a library of factory presets

How to Download

1. Click the download button on this page and save the Mac installer.
2. You can also Download from the official site to start the trial from Sonic Academy.
3. Run the installer, then rescan plugins in your DAW so SideKick appears in your effects list.

System Requirements

SideKick needs macOS 10.13 or later and a DAW that hosts VST3, AU or AAX plugins. A 14 day free trial lets you test it in your own projects first.

FAQs

What does SideKick actually do?

It lowers one sound whenever another plays, most often ducking the bass around each kick hit, using shapes and spectral tools you control.

Which plugin formats are included?

The Mac version installs as VST3, Audio Units and AAX, so it works in the major DAWs on macOS.

Can I try it before buying?

Yes. Sonic Academy offers a 14 day free trial with the full feature set, according to the product page.