Pulse: Free Sidechain Gate Plugin Released by RIPPLES
Developer RIPPLES has released Pulse, a versatile free sidechain gate plugin designed to create rhythmic volume ducking and precise gating effects. Producers can grab the software at zero cost directly from the RIPPLES website without navigating complicated paywalls. It delivers a fast, visually intuitive alternative to complex routing and sidechain compression setups.
Visual Envelope and Ducking Controls
At the core of Pulse is an interactive volume curve display that lets you shape gain modulation in real time. Instead of balancing traditional compressor thresholds and sidechain input feeds, you can dial in classic four-on-the-floor pumping or aggressive stutter gates directly onto the visual grid.
- Five selectable curve presets to speed up common ducking shapes
- Invert switch to flip modulation curves from ducking to gating patterns
- Draggable curve nodes for precise micro-timing adjustments on the beat
- Tempo sync locking directly to your host project BPM
- Wet and dry mix control for balancing natural dynamics against pumping effects
Practical Uses in the Mix
Pulse excels at carving out clean space between heavy kick drums and low-end basslines without requiring dedicated ghost trigger tracks. Flipping the envelope curve turns the processor into a rhythmic tremolo or choppy trance gate suitable for synth pads, sustained guitars, and vocal beds. Its lightweight architecture keeps CPU usage minimal across busy production sessions.
Pulse by RIPPLES is completely free to download and licensed for royalty-free use in both personal and commercial music projects. You can acquire the installer directly from the developer portal with no mandatory subscription tiers or paid upgrades.
Visit the official RIPPLES website to download your copy and streamline your ducking workflow.
FAQ
Is Pulse really free?
Pulse is completely free to download and use royalty-free in commercial productions without recurring subscription costs.
Do I need an external sidechain trigger to use Pulse?
External routing is not required, as Pulse generates rhythmic ducking using tempo-synced visual envelope curves rather than incoming audio triggers.
What plugin formats does Pulse support?
Pulse runs as a 64-bit VST3 and AU plugin on compatible Windows and macOS digital audio workstations.