Gate
Overview
A gate can be used to attenuate undesirable signal content in the breaks between phrases of a vocal track. The Gate module provides an efficient and flexible alternative to manually editing or inserting silence between vocal phrases. The Gate includes controls for adjusting how and when processing is applied to the input, as well as robust metering to assist with determining the best control values and visualizing the effect of processing.
Controls
The controls in the Gate module work together to influence how the gate responds to the incoming signal. The following controls are available in the Gate:
Threshold
The Gate module features two threshold controls: the Open Threshold and Close Threshold.
Open Threshold
Determines the level above which the gate will open, allowing the signal to pass through. When the input signal falls above the Open threshold level, attenuation will stop.
Close Threshold
Determines the level at which the gate will close. When the input signal falls below the close threshold, it will be attenuated.
Move the close threshold down in order to pass more of the decay without affecting the trigger threshold. In some situations, undesirable signals that are near the level of the open threshold can cause the gate to “chatter” by crossing the threshold level too often. The Close threshold (also referred to as hysteresis) can be set a few dB below the Open threshold to help eliminate this chattering effect.
When a signal has dropped below the Close threshold, it will not trigger the gate to open again until it exceeds the level of the Open threshold.
Ratio
Determines the amount of gain reduction applied to signals that fall below the Close threshold.
Attack
Determines the amount of time (in milliseconds) it takes for the gate to transition from closed to open when a signal exceeds the Open threshold.
Release
Determines the amount of time (in milliseconds) it takes to transition from open to closed when a signal falls below the Close threshold.
Global Module Controls
The module chain features common controls for each module, including: Bypass, Solo, Remove, Reorder, and Wet/Dry Mix.
Global Controls Chapter
To learn more about the module chain and other global controls in Nectar, visit the Global Controls chapter.
Meters
The Gate module features scrolling waveform displays and a gain reduction meter for monitoring the difference between the processed and unprocessed signals.
Waveform Displays
The scrolling waveform meters display the amplitude of the input (ungated) and output (gated) signals over time. The meters scroll from right to left, with the most recent information on the right.
The processed output signal waveform is displayed in light grey, in front of the input signal waveform. The unprocessed input signal waveform is displayed in dark grey, behind the output signal waveform. When the signal is being gated, the gain reduction applied to the output signal can be observed in the difference between the two waveforms.
Gain Reduction Meter
Displays the current average amount of gain reduction in decibels (dB) applied to the signal.
