Hey, what’s up! Welcome to the first season of Gating. In this season, we’re exploring dynamic processors, and in this particular episode, we’re focusing on gates.

Gates are a fundamental tool in audio production, and understanding them can drastically improve your control over individual tracks in a mix. Let’s break down what a gate is, how it works, and the key settings that make it an essential part of your audio toolkit.

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What Is a Gate?

A gate is a type of dynamic processing effect that controls the dynamic content of an audio track. In simpler terms:

A gate acts like an auto-mute for unwanted sounds between the main audio events.

Think of it this way: imagine a gate in front of a club that doesn’t let in short people. While this is a playful analogy, it actually helps you visualize how a gate works—it selectively blocks audio that doesn’t meet a certain threshold, allowing only the desired sounds through.

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Why Use a Gate?

Let’s consider a practical example: drum recordings.

When recording a drum kit, each element—kick, snare, toms, cymbals—is usually captured on separate tracks. However, there’s often spill from other drums. For instance:

• The kick drum mic may pick up some snare hits.
• The snare mic may capture the kick drum or hi-hat.

When you look at the waveform of a kick drum, the main hit is loud, but the spill in between hits is much softer. Ideally, we’d want to isolate just the kick drum sound without the background bleed.

Gates allow us to remove this unwanted spill, leaving only the sound we want to emphasize.

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Key Functions of a Gate

Most gates share similar basic functions. Here’s a detailed overview:

1. Threshold

The threshold determines the level below which the gate will start working.

• Gates vs. Compressors: A compressor works above the threshold to reduce the volume of loud sounds. A gate works below the threshold to suppress soft sounds.

Essentially, if the sound level falls below the threshold, the gate reduces its volume according to the range setting.

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2. Range

The range controls how much the gate attenuates the signal below the threshold. This is usually measured in decibels (dB).

• For example, if your gate has a range of 70 dB, any signal below the threshold can be reduced by up to 70 dB, which is effectively silencing it.
• Lower range values only reduce soft signals partially, creating a more subtle effect.

The range setting increases the dynamic range—the difference between the loudest and softest parts of your audio.

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3. Attack, Hold, and Release

These three parameters control the timing and shape of the gate:

1. Attack—How quickly the gate opens after the input signal crosses the threshold.
   • A slow attack can remove the initial transient of a sound, giving the impression of a fade-in.
2. Hold—How long the gate stays open after the signal crosses the threshold.
3. Release—How quickly the gate closes after the hold time ends.
   • This creates a fade-out effect, preventing abrupt cutoffs.

Think of it like applying an ADSR envelope (attack, decay, sustain, release) to your audio signal, shaping the entry, sustain, and exit of the sound.

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4. Key Input

Some gates include a key input, allowing the gate to be triggered by a different audio signal. This is useful for advanced sidechain techniques or when you want one track to control another.

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Visualizing a Gate in Action

Here’s a step-by-step visualization using a snare or kick drum track:

1. Closed Gate: The gate blocks all audio below the threshold.
2. Signal Hits Threshold: The attack phase begins, opening the gate.
3. Hold Phase: The gate remains open while the main sound plays.
4. Release Phase: The gate gradually closes, fading out the tail of the sound.

This sequence ensures a clean, isolated sound while maintaining a natural feel.

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Putting It All Together

When properly configured, a gate can:

• Eliminate bleed between instruments.
• Enhance the clarity and punch of individual tracks.
• Shape the dynamic envelope of your audio, making it more controlled and professional.

Gates are especially useful for:

• Drums—isolating kick or snare hits.
• Vocals—removing background noise or room ambience.
• Guitar and other instruments—cleaning up tracks for tighter mixes.

Essentially, a gate gives you control over what your audience hears, ensuring that only the intended sounds come through.

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Coming Up Next

In part two of this tutorial, we will dive into:

• How to set up a gate in your DAW.
• Practical examples on various tracks.
• Demonstrating the real-world impact of gating in a mix.

Until then, start experimenting with thresholds, ranges, and attack/hold/release settings on your drum or vocal tracks to hear how a gate can transform your recordings.