A system for performing sideband heterodyne switching for resonator fiber optic gyroscopes comprising: a resonator of a resonator fiber optic gyroscope configured to allow light to resonate therein; at least one laser source (221, 235) configured to produce a plurality of optical beams, the plurality of optical beams comprising a first optical beam and a second optical beam; a plurality of heterodyne modulators (213, 237) that perform heterodyne modulation of the first optical beam and the second optical beam at a heterodyne frequency plus a modulation frequency offset to produce a plurality of sideband optical beams at a plurality of sideband frequencies, wherein the modulation frequency offset has a different sign for the first optical beam and the second optical beam; a frequency switching controller that performs sideband heterodyne switching that alternatingly switches the signs of the modulation frequency offset applied to the first optical beam and the second optical beam, wherein the heterodyne modulation of the first optical beam and the second optical beam are on average substantially at the heterodyne frequency during a period of time; at least one coupler configured to couple the plurality of sideband optical beams into the resonator such that first optical beam travels around the resonator in a counterclockwise direction and such that the second optical beam travels around the resonator in a clockwise direction; and a feedback control coupled to the resonator that detects the plurality of sideband optical beams transmitted out of the resonator and adjusts frequencies of the plurality of optical beams based on the detected plurality of sideband optical beams, wherein the first optical beam and the second optical beam are generated to propagate within the resonator at different resonant modes, and wherein the frequency switching controller periodically performs resonant mode switching, wherein the resonant mode switching switches resonant modes of the first optical beam and the second optical beam. a resonator of a resonator fiber optic gyroscope configured to allow light to resonate therein; at least one laser source (221, 235) configured to produce a plurality of optical beams, the plurality of optical beams comprising a first optical beam and a second optical beam; a plurality of heterodyne modulators (213, 237) that perform heterodyne modulation of the first optical beam and the second optical beam at a heterodyne frequency plus a modulation frequency offset to produce a plurality of sideband optical beams at a plurality of sideband frequencies, wherein the modulation frequency offset has a different sign for the first optical beam and the second optical beam; a frequency switching controller that performs sideband heterodyne switching that alternatingly switches the signs of the modulation frequency offset applied to the first optical beam and the second optical beam, wherein the heterodyne modulation of the first optical beam and the second optical beam are on average substantially at the heterodyne frequency during a period of time; at least one coupler configured to couple the plurality of sideband optical beams into the resonator such that first optical beam travels around the resonator in a counterclockwise direction and such that the second optical beam travels around the resonator in a clockwise direction; and a feedback control coupled to the resonator that detects the plurality of sideband optical beams transmitted out of the resonator and adjusts frequencies of the plurality of optical beams based on the detected plurality of sideband optical beams, wherein the first optical beam and the second optical beam are generated to propagate within the resonator at different resonant modes, and wherein the frequency switching controller periodically performs resonant mode switching, wherein the resonant mode switching switches resonant modes of the first optical beam and the second optical beam.