(Noise) Gate - What it is and how it works

(Noise) Gate - What it is and how it works

Noise Gate or just Gate.

A gate completely mutes the lower db of a volume track. It's starts from the bottom, unlike the compressor that starts compressing from the top-highest db the volume track.

It was first created for cutting the noise of a track (which noise was at the lowest db of the track as we mentioned above ) thus its name "noise" gate.


How it works:
You start applying the gate from -inf and you slowly pull its fader up (or down depending on your gate software, but it does the same thing).


Example:
You have recorded your guitar track and it's highest db is at -3 db. Noise is found at about (let's say) -11 db and this is the point that you add your gate. Be careful not to affect the guitar tone. If you do back off a little at about -12db (or less depending on the situation).

Gates can really clean your mix from crap... ehem.. I mean useless sounds that get in your way in your mix. If used incorrectly though, the results can be unpleasant.

Except from guitar noise you can use it for cutting the long "reverb tails", take out the noise of a vocal recorded track (noise such as your computer's fan noise or air-conditioner) or you can use it anywhere you find it useful.

In which situation do you use a Noise Gate?