Noise gate

A noise gate or gate is an electronic device or software that is used to control the volume of an audio signal. Comparable to a compressor, which attenuates signals above a threshold, such as loud attacks from the start of musical notes, noise gates attenuate signals that register below the threshold. However, noise gates attenuate signals by a fixed amount, known as the range. In its simplest form, a noise gate allows a main signal to pass through only when it is above a set threshold: the gate is 'open'. If the signal falls below the threshold, no signal is allowed to pass (or the signal is substantially attenuated): the gate is 'closed'. A noise gate is used when the level of the 'signal' is above the level of the unwanted 'noise'. The threshold is set above the level of the 'noise' and so when there is no main 'signal', the gate is closed. A noise gate or gate is an electronic device or software that is used to control the volume of an audio signal. Comparable to a compressor, which attenuates signals above a threshold, such as loud attacks from the start of musical notes, noise gates attenuate signals that register below the threshold. However, noise gates attenuate signals by a fixed amount, known as the range. In its simplest form, a noise gate allows a main signal to pass through only when it is above a set threshold: the gate is 'open'. If the signal falls below the threshold, no signal is allowed to pass (or the signal is substantially attenuated): the gate is 'closed'. A noise gate is used when the level of the 'signal' is above the level of the unwanted 'noise'. The threshold is set above the level of the 'noise' and so when there is no main 'signal', the gate is closed. A common application is with electric guitar to remove hum and hiss noise caused by distortion effects units. A noise gate does not remove noise from the signal itself. When the gate is open, both the signal and the noise will pass through. Even though the signal and the unwanted noise are both present in open gate status, the noise is not as noticeable. The noise becomes most noticeable during periods where the main signal is not present, such as a bar of rest in a guitar solo. Gates typically feature 'attack', 'release', and 'hold' settings and may feature a 'look-ahead' function. Noise gates have a Threshold control to set the level at which the gate will open. More advanced noise gates have more features. The Release control is used to define the length of time the gate takes to change from open to fully closed. It is the fade-out duration. A fast release abruptly cuts off the sound, whereas a slower release smoothly attenuates the signal from open to closed, resulting in a slow fade-out. If the release time is too short, a click can be heard when the gate re-opens. Release is the second-most common control to find on a gate, after Threshold. The Attack control is used to define the length of time the gate takes to change from closed to fully open. It is the fade-in duration. The Hold control is used to define the length of time the gate will stay fully open after the signal falls below the threshold, and before the Release period is commenced. The hold control is often set to ensure the gate does not close during short pauses between words or sentences in a speech signal. The Range control is used to set the amount of attenuation to be applied to the signal when the gate is closed. Often there will be complete attenuation, that is no signal will pass when the gate is closed. In some circumstances, complete attenuation is not desired and the range can be changed. Advanced gates have an external sidechain. This is an additional input that allows the gate to be triggered by another audio signal. A variation of a sidechained noise gate used in electronic music production is a trancegate or just simply gate, where the noise gate is not controlled by audio signal but a preprogrammed pattern, resulting in a precisely controlled chopping of a sustained sound. Noise gates often implement hysteresis, that is, they have two thresholds: one to open the gate and another, set a few dB below, to close the gate. This means that once a signal has dropped below the close threshold, it has to rise to the open threshold for the gate to open, so that a signal that crosses over the close threshold regularly does not open the gate and cause chattering. A longer hold time also helps to avoid chattering, as described above.