FREE · SIDECHAIN PLUGIN · VST3 / AU
A free sidechain plugin with no routing.
Sidechain pumping is the breathing feel in house, EDM, trap and pop: the pad, bass or loop ducks out of the way on every beat. Volume-shaper plugins like Kickstart 2 (~$16) and LFOTool (~$50) fake it without routing a kick. SCRAMBLE's PUMP does the same thing for free, in time with your DAW, with four rates and shapes.
Hear it.
Real loops through real DRUMS presets, nothing else added. Tap DRY to hear the original.
Want to hear it on your own loop? Load it into SCRAMBLE in your browser.
Kickstart / LFOTool vs SCRAMBLE.
| KICKSTART / LFOTOOL | SCRAMBLE. | |
|---|---|---|
| Tempo-synced pump, no kick routing | ✓ | ✓ (MORE FX: PUMP) |
| Draw your own curve | LFOTool ✓ | – |
| Trigger from a real kick (audio sidechain) | Some | – |
| Volume / filter / pan step patterns | LFOTool ✓ | ✓ (MORE FX: CHOP) |
| Other FX in the same plugin | – | ✓ 19 MORE FX + 7 modes |
| Price | ~$16 to ~$50 | Free · Bundle $49 |
Kickstart is a trademark of Cableguys; LFOTool is a trademark of Xfer Records. SCRAMBLE isn't affiliated with them. Prices are list prices, Nov 2026.
Pump it, chop it, bounce it.
PUMP
Tempo-synced ducking at four rates with different shapes, from soft breathing to hard EDM pump.
CHOP
16-step volume, filter and pan patterns, like a trance gate.
PAN
Ping-pong and tremolo movement in time.
On anything
Pads, chords, bass, 808s, vocals or a whole loop.
When a dedicated sidechain tool is the better pick
- You want to draw your exact curve (LFOTool) or set it in one click with zero extras (Kickstart 2).
- You need it to follow a real kick's audio, not the tempo.
We'd rather you use the right tool. If that's Kickstart / LFOTool, go for it.
How to get the sound.
- Put SCRAMBLE on a pad, bass or loop and pick MORE FX.
- Open MAKE IT PUMP or twist until PUMP lights up.
- Drag PUMP's bar to set the depth. MIX blends it back for a subtle duck.
SCRAMBLE is out now, and it's free.
All 8 FX modes, the full cube, the sequencer and 237 presets. Mac + Windows, no card needed.
Questions
Do I need to route my kick?
No. PUMP follows your DAW's tempo, so it ducks on the beat with no sidechain input.
How do I get the PUMP sound fast?
Pick MORE FX and open the MAKE IT PUMP preset folder: 12 presets where PUMP is the main effect (3 are in the free version, all 12 in the Bundle). Then twist the cube for more, and drag PUMP's bar in WHAT'S LIT to set how hard it hits.
Is it free?
Yes. All 8 FX modes, the cube, the sequencer and 237 presets are free, no time limit. The $49 Bundle adds all 2,800 presets plus the full vocal chain.
Does it work on Mac and Windows?
Yes. Mac gets VST3 and AU (Apple Silicon and Intel). Windows gets VST3 plus a standalone app. It loads in FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro and other DAWs. Not Pro Tools yet (no AAX).