PUMPJACK — Free Sidechain Pump Plugin, No Routing (VST3, Windows)
PUMPJACK is a free sidechain pump plugin for Windows 10/11 (64-bit), available as a VST3 and a standalone app. It gives you sidechain pumping with zero routing: a beat-locked duck curve with SHAPE, OFFSET and a live playhead, locked to the DAW grid so loops never drift, or hit DRAW and paint your own 16-step volume pattern on the display. It is a free alternative to Kickstart and part of BSMT.DSP, the free suite by Dr.dawgOG from Anand, Gujarat.
What PUMPJACK does
Sidechain pumping is the effect where a pad, bass or whole beat dips on every kick and swells back between hits. Traditionally it needs a compressor with a sidechain input, a routed kick track and a lot of attack and release fiddling, and the result changes every time the kick pattern does. PUMPJACK skips all of it. It applies a volume curve locked to the DAW's tempo and grid, so the duck happens exactly on the beat whether or not a kick is playing there.
SHAPE sets how the curve dips and recovers, from a sharp stab to a slow swell. OFFSET slides the duck earlier or later against the grid so it breathes with the groove instead of fighting it. A live playhead shows where you are in the cycle. When a preset curve is not enough, DRAW mode lets you paint a 16-step volume pattern directly on the display, which turns PUMPJACK into a rhythmic gate and stutter tool as well as a pump.
Pumping 808s, pads and sampled loops
On a trap beat, put PUMPJACK on the 808 so the sub dips slightly on each kick and the two stop fighting for the same space; a shallow dip and a fast recovery is enough. On a sampled loop in a boom-bap beat, a deeper quarter-note pump adds motion without touching the drums. On pads and synths, the classic long swell makes a static chord feel like it is breathing with the kick.
DRAW mode is for trap hi-hat stutters and gated vocal chops: paint a 16-step pattern and the source becomes rhythmic. Because it is grid-locked, exported loops line up perfectly and never drift. PUMPJACK runs as a VST3 in FL Studio, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase and Bitwig on Windows.
How to use PUMPJACK
- Insert PUMPJACK on the track you want to pump, such as the 808, a pad or the sampled loop.
- Pick the beat division for the duck, usually a quarter note, and set the depth.
- Adjust SHAPE for stab or swell, then nudge OFFSET so the recovery lands with the groove.
- Need something rhythmic? Hit DRAW and paint a 16-step volume pattern directly on the display.
PUMPJACK features
- Sidechain-style pumping with zero routing and no sidechain compressor
- Beat-locked duck curve with SHAPE and OFFSET
- Live playhead locked to the DAW grid, so loops never drift
- DRAW mode: paint a 16-step volume pattern
- Doubles as a rhythmic gate and stutter tool
- VST3 and standalone for Windows 10/11 64-bit, free with no signup
PUMPJACK vs the alternatives
How PUMPJACK compares with the free and paid tempo-synced pump plugins producers usually shortlist. The row for PUMPJACK is highlighted.
| Plugin | Price | Windows formats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PUMPJACK (BSMT.DSP) | Free, no signup | VST3, standalone | Grid-locked pump curve with shape and offset, plus a 16-step DRAW mode |
| Nicky Romero Kickstart 2 | Paid (around USD 17 list) | VST2, VST3, AAX | The paid anchor for one-knob sidechain pumping |
| Cableguys VolumeShaper | Paid | VST2, VST3, AAX | Deep volume-curve editor with more drawing power at a higher price |
| Sidechain compression via DAW routing | Free (built in) | Any DAW | Works, but needs a routed kick and re-tuning every time the pattern changes |
Prices are vendor list prices as seen in August 2026. Formats listed for Windows only.
PUMPJACK specs
| Plugin | PUMPJACK (tempo-synced pump) |
| Category | DYNAMICS |
| Price | Free. No account, no email, no trial, no watermark. |
| Formats | VST3 (64-bit) and a standalone app |
| Operating system | Windows 10 / Windows 11, 64-bit. macOS build in progress (the download button switches when it ships). |
| Works in | FL Studio, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase, Bitwig and any other VST3 host on Windows |
| Installer | One BSMT.DSP installer for all 27 plugins; tick the ones you want. It detects and updates older versions in place. |
| Version | Shown on the download button, fetched live from the releases repository. |
| Developer | Dr.dawgOG (BSMT.DSP), Anand, Gujarat, India |
| Support the project | buymeacoffee.com/dawgog (optional) |
PUMPJACK FAQ
Is there a free alternative to Kickstart?
Yes. PUMPJACK gives you grid-locked sidechain pumping with shape and offset controls and a drawable 16-step pattern, free with no signup, as a Windows VST3 and standalone app in BSMT.DSP.
How do I sidechain without routing in FL Studio?
Load PUMPJACK on the track you want to duck. It applies a tempo-locked volume curve on every beat, so no kick routing or sidechain compressor is needed. Set the division, depth and shape and it pumps in time.
What is the difference between pumping and sidechain compression?
Sidechain compression reacts to a real signal, usually the kick, and needs routing. Pumping with PUMPJACK follows the tempo grid instead, so it is perfectly regular, never drifts and works even when the kick pattern changes.
Is PUMPJACK really free?
Completely. No trial, no account, no email gate. It ships inside the BSMT.DSP installer from GitHub Releases, where you can install PUMPJACK alone.
Does PUMPJACK work in Ableton Live, Reaper and Studio One?
Yes. It is a 64-bit VST3 for Windows 10/11 and loads in Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase, Bitwig and FL Studio, reading the host tempo and grid for its timing.
Install, SmartScreen and Mac questions are answered on the BSMT.DSP suite FAQ.
More from BSMT.DSP
See all 27 free BSMT.DSP plugins, the guide to mixing rap vocals with free plugins, and the list of free alternatives to paid vocal plugins. Need the vocal mixed by the person who built these? Mixing and mastering is open.