I'm looking for a non-bundled free or paid stereo ring modulator VST with sidechain input and without a ton of irrelevant garbage surely excellent tools that I nonetheless have no intention of using. So not Melda and not kiloHearts or any other bundles.
Is there such a thing? Maybe something from Airwindows? I'm starting to lose hope.
Other functions are not important, I just need to multiply two arbitrary stereo signals together.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jan 18, 2025

im in on this i think u can get the Moogerfooger Effects Bundle from sister site they have that ring modulator in there they a legendary brand most likely thats all u will need

 

It doesn't have sidechain as far as I know. Also the more sterile and mathematical it is the better. I don't need it to introduce any additional colour.
Also also it's still a bundle, even if a smaller one.

 

oh ok hopefully someone will help u find one with a good side chain option

 

RSMC

Ring Modulator Plugin by Denis Porfiryev

 

Last edited: Jan 17, 2025

Melda MRingmodulator. the sidechain is only in the MB version though, so you'll need to buy that, or grab the bundle

 

This one does ringmod sidechain "compression" trick specifically, rectifying and all. I need soemthing I can use in other settings as well, like a part of the vocoder-like chain, for example.
Also it.s version 0.4, I'm uncomfortable fith unfinished products even if they're functional.

I addressed that both in the OP and in the title directly. I am grateful that you decided to spare some of your time for me but I am also puzzled by your recommendation.
Also the free MRingModulator does have sidechain.
If the thing I want does not exist I will resort to kiloHearts bundle.

 

I'm not escaping bundles, am I?
That being said, what a find. I completely forgot about aciddose, thank you!

 

HorNeT Corrosion.
It's paid but it's very affordable

 

Apparently a free plugin called Massimizer does the trick: https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2025/07/13/emphaseas-pretender-massimizer/

By the way: can you guys tell me what this recent "ring-moduluation sidechain" technique is all about? I know ring-modulation and I've also used sidechain compression, but this seems to be a mix of the two concepts. Why would you use ring-modulation to duck a signal based on an external sidechain?

 

Because RM sidechain ducks frequency not volume so you can make it hit harder and louder.

 

Does it give a pumping sound? Or does it sound different? I like my sidechain to PUMP! I don't think this ringmodulator method really ducks per se, it just cancels and mutes the sound I think. I'm not sure you have the juicy pumping sound with this method?

 

Guys, I was asking for a ring modulator with a sidechain input, not a ringmod sidechain ducking plugin. To use as a sound design tool, and to figure out the ducking trick on my own instead of getting attached to a crutch. That being said.

RM sidechain ducking lets you use your signal's waveform as a ducking envelope. I don't need to tell you how powerful it can be, do I?
Basically you ring-modulate your say drums negative-rectified with your bass, and get a signal which is everything that's common between your drums and your bass, *inverted*. Then you add that new signal to your bass and viola - you removed your drums envelope from your bass with sample precision. This direct method adds some mid-high-frequency distortion tho, but in genres where it's used it's usually masked anyway.

No, it ducks volume. But with sample precision.

Matters of taste aside, this is not for you then.
Although RMSC lets you add a lowpass to the envelope (make it slower, in layman's terms). This reduces distortion but also adds pumping. It has two options, a naive filter (makes it a little slower in a somewhat harsh way) or a FIR 10 dbpo (makes it a lot slower in a super smooth way). Both can be adjusted further.

Also I CAN'T STRESS THAT ENOUGH that I'm not requesting any warez.

 

Yeah, I've seen mostly bass music and EDM producers use it, where fidelity and transparency is not really a priority.

The ducking method that worked best for me so far was using Cableguys Volumeshaper with an external sidechain input, using the envelope follower mode and then visually adjusting the volume curve to the input signal.

I'm not so fond of anything that introduces unwanted distortion or aliasing.

 

Here's a free and simple ring modulator with an external sidechain input: https://www.kvraudio.com/product/rmsc-by-denis-porfiryev

Tried it a year or so ago when someone wanted help with figuring something out, and from what I remember it worked well.

EDIT: Saw that @Zhopenski Zhopenovich had already mentioned it and that it's not what you were looking for. The only plugin I can find that does what you want would be Caelum Audio - Flux Pro. The ring mod is just one of the effects it can do, so it's not a dedicated ring mod plugin.

 

Last edited: Aug 21, 2025

It's the same thingYou have a RM with a SC input and then you use it according to your needs. There are however plugins like the above mentioned Massimazer that is already pre-configured to be used specifically for a task. (It rectifies the signal so you don't have to do that on your own)

What that even means? The compression SC ducks volume with a sample precision as well, they all do that with a sample precision

 

Last edited: Aug 21, 2025

Thanks for the explanations, sounds intriguing might try it myself! But if it's used in EDM I would imagine there is some pumping sound since this is part of what makes EDM ? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding how it actually sounds

 

Nope. Let's say you have your kick with a headroom 0.1db before clipping and then everything else with a headroom 0.1 db so unless you completely kill the sound anywhere your kick and sound overlap you'll get distortion (clipping) with RM SC you basically extract the waveform of your kick from your sound so it get phase cancelled following exactly your kicks waveform, there's no attack or release stage. It extracts the frequency of your kick from your sound at the volume of your choice and that is perfect for EDM since it gives you more headroom for your kick to hit harder.

 

Last edited: Aug 21, 2025

Thank you. It is bit more clear now I guess I have to try it myself. But EDM wouldn't sound EDM without the pumping sound tho :p Do they use it also on other elements than bass, like synth lines, chords pads etc? I think it would change how EDM sounds actually if you don't have this traditional pump ... I think in EDM the sidechain was not only used to make room for kick and bass but also because the sidechain pump gave track energy. I might be wrong tho and EDM sounds different nowadays. These might sound bit naive questions but I'm having bit hard time wrapping my head around it how it works in EDM if you don't have a pumping sound, cos that is part of what makes EDM EDM. Does anybody have any example tracks where this technique has been used in EDM or other electronic dance music?

 

Last edited: Aug 21, 2025