How do you use a noise gate?

Mixing.GQ

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Do you use a noise gate for its most basic application - namely removing an audio signal below a certain threshold or do you manually remove unwanted audio to shape the sound more specifically? Or do you use noise gates to shape the tone of an audio signal, like on a snare drum, by altering the attack and release?

I have read and made use of side-chain compression and ducking, especially when it comes to keeping the kick and bass from competing, but I have also read that some engineers use a side-chained noise gate for ducking.

Are there any tips, tricks or techniques for using a noise gate in a mix? How do the pro's use it in a pop mix?
 
I couldn't help but notice that your user name is the same as your website, the URL for which is already in your signature for your very first question...

Bit of self-promotion?:confused:
 
Do you use a noise gate for its most basic application - namely removing an audio signal below a certain threshold or do you manually remove unwanted audio to shape the sound more specifically? ...
Yes :facepalm::D
Or do you use noise gates to shape the tone of an audio signal, like on a snare drum, by altering the attack and release?
I'd say typically the shaping you get (on the front end) with a gate is at best -and if it's able to do a bit of look-ahead function this is more likely successful, fast enough to not compromise the attack, but slow enough (or early enough as in look-ahead) not to turn it into a tic' from a too late straight vertical rise.
On the back end is easier, just appropriate hold' and/or release.
If I wanted to soften or shape -particularly the front, I’d look to a Transient tool (level independent which the ‘gate isn’t) or perhaps automation (on vocals for example.

Are there any tips, tricks or techniques for using a noise gate in a mix? How do the pro's use it in a pop mix.
I use them fairly infrequently actually so..
 
Armistice said:
I couldn't help but notice that your user name is the same as your website, the URL for which is already in your signature for your very first question...

Bit of self-promotion?:confused:

Yes, is this inappropriate? If so I can remove it from my signature. I am, however, still curious about gating as I haven't used it much in my mixes and I am constantly learning new techniques so I wondered if I was missing anything. Every time I've tried a gate I haven't been happy with the results and instead I've either manually shaped the volume or in the case of drums replaced or added to them with samples.

mixsit said:
If I wanted to soften or shape -particularly the front, I’d look to a Transient tool (level independent which the ‘gate isn’t) or perhaps automation (on vocals for example.

What type of transient tool? How would you use it to shape an audio signal? If it is not level-dependent, how does it work?

According to the Sound On Sound article Advanced Gating Techniques by Paul White, you might use an EQ on a side-chain to roll off kick frequencies and trigger a noise gate so that it only opens for a snare (assuming the threshold is still allowing the kick to open the gate). I like the idea of side-chain linking and key inputs he expounds on, but with a DAW like Pro Tools, wouldn't it just be easier to drag the vocals into place or tighten them up with time stretching and shrinking?

In Part 2 he talks about triggering a gate using a sequencer to tighten a mix and create interesting effects. He also talks about the infamous gated reverb snare in the 80s, but is this still applicable today? I rarely use gates, but I do think there is something I am missing out on by not using tracks to trigger a gate on other tracks, I just don't know the practical applications in a modern mix.
 
..What type of transient tool? How would you use it to shape an audio signal? If it is not level-dependent, how does it work?

According to the Sound On Sound article Advanced Gating Techniques by Paul White, you might use an EQ on a side-chain to roll off kick frequencies and trigger a noise gate so that it only opens for a snare (assuming the threshold is still allowing the kick to open the gate). I like the idea of side-chain linking and key inputs he expounds on, but with a DAW like Pro Tools, wouldn't it just be easier to drag the vocals into place or tighten them up with time stretching and shrinking? ..
I use this one but they're pretty common now.
SPL® Transient Designer Plug-In | Universal Audio
They react to velocity -spikes or sustain rather than level.

Getting into the side chain with an eq is quite powerful. Typically that would be modifying ('frequency weighting'?) of the original signal as it's seen by the detector.
 
Would you mind giving me a specific example of how you might use the SPL Transient Designer in your mixes?
Hmm off the top o' my head. Working out the low end on tracks is a great place to start. Often the shape and duration between the kick and bass can be improved. Here, reducing sustain' of acoustic or electric basses and kicks.
Some times adding (or looking for) more attack on the bass- hit and miss as to the result, and 50/50' as to expander or transient tools.
Thickening' or thinning with the sustain side, electric guitars.. what else..
Taming spikie' sources with the attack side instead of using a compressor (again, '50/50 and trial and error as to whether a fast attack/very low ratio limiting compression sounds better. -This (a source's attack' -as well as compresion release being fast vs slower) can also stem into tools for 'setting forward or back into the mix' control.
 
I have had good luck putting a condenser mic a foot and a half from the bass drum and the using a gate on the track. Set the threshold to eliminate the other drums but leave the bass drum.
It depends on the song though...sometimes it sounds better to leave the faint sound of the other drums in the track.
But anyway, it's a way a gate can be used.
 
I rarely use them apart from live when I use them to silence noisy synths, and sometimes on drums. On a few studio tracks I've used the bass guitar to trigger the side chain of a synth sound, so the synth pulses in sympathy with the bass part. Not cutting in and out, just having a peaking in time with the music.
 
I don't use gates at all, but if I ever have a problem with a snare or kick track, then I might. Usually I hand edit vocal tracks to get rid of noise in between singing - if it's a really hissy crappy track then sometimes I automate a low pass filter cut-off frequency to pinch way the hissiness while preserving the consonants at the end of phrases. That's work-y, but the result is usually very good.

I use a transient shaping plug (same one mixsit uses, but there are indeed others) sometimes on kick or snare, but also on other things, like when I think someone was strumming an acoustic guitar too hard and creating a huge loud fast peak at the very beginning of each strum.
 
I rarely use a gate in a recording mix...and, when I do, it's as a special effect (for example to put an artificially sharp attack on a drum) rather than just tone down background noise. For the latter, I much prefer using automation to let me have total control.

I use them a bit more in a live mix, particularly where there's a lot of stage wash. However, even there you have to be very careful that you don't get an annoying change of ambience every the time gate opens or closes. (And, again, I sometimes use it for the "special effect" live.)
 
Yeah, not so much in the studio. I'd rather edit manually than depend on the gate opening in a musical way. I can see using a gate to creatively alter a snare or something, but it's not something I've ever felt the need to do.

For live mixing it can be helpful on a softly played kick that feeds back when the bass makes it resonate.
 
When I need something more aggressive than a compressor for ducking, I go to the Sidechaining the Waves C1

This gives more control than just a standard sidechained compressor setup - with the open/close attack/release and hold settings

Also, the C1 has a 'floor'. You can set the floor to keep whatever level you want as a minimum.

If you haven't tried it, I strongly suggest it. Very very versatile. The C1 comes with a Compressor component, Expander component, Gate component, EQ/Filter component - so much more than just a gate/comp.

C1 Compressor Plugin with Side Chain | Waves

Waves has full feature demos too if you are on the fence
 
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