Noise gating?

[KAMI]

okay, so I'm trying to figure what noise gate(s) I should buy.
I was thinking of getting an ISP decimator and a boss ns-2
I would use the ISP as a "soft" gate and I would use the ns-2 as a "hard" gate.

the signal chain would be like this:

guitar->tuner->compressor->boss ns-2->overdrive->ISP decimator.

as usual I have questions:

1. also does anyone know what the send and return jacks are on the boss ns-2, can I use them to run the gate through the fx loop as well as through the front of the amp?

2. I was also looking at rocktron stuff and the hush ultra seemed pretty cool, has anyone had any experience with one?

3. what is the noise gate like on the tc electronic g-major 2?

4. How did bulb use noise gates, back in the days of the invader? (I've based the ns-2 and isp decimator idea off what I've heard about how bulb uses gates)

[juice_74]

Cant answer the first 3 questions, but question 4:

[155]

that is the most idiotic use of noise gates ive ever seen...if you cant get by with one gate and technique take more time with your playing and perfect that...at the most a x pattern method on a isp gstring or ns-2 will suffice ...one pedal!

[Double A]

Originally Posted by 155

that is the most idiotic use of noise gates ive ever seen...if you cant get by with one gate and technique take more time with your playing and perfect that...at the most a x pattern method on a isp gstring or ns-2 will suffice ...one pedal!

A few things.

1. The ISP G-string only runs in the loop, the other input and output are for the guitar signal only.

2. I work pretty extensively on technique.

3. I don't think it is dumb since I do the same thing with great results and a lot of people here do too. The set up is used to achieve a very specific effect. I do think it is short sighted to rule out a set up based on what might be purely ego, if something works for someone why would you care? Guitar is not a competition, well, ostensibly it is art and knocking someone for the way they go about it seems pretty counter intuitive for the whole self expression thing we are all doing, especially since Misha used his set up with so much success.

[Stealthdjentstic]

Ignore that guy. There's a reason isp made a rack version that lets you insert it twice

[fitterhappier]

I run 2 noise gates in my setup. Guitar -> ISP Decimator -> TS-9 -> MXR Smart Gate -> amp. I originally just had the Smart Gate, which does a really good job of silencing, but running both in front really did the trick. The ISP kills the noise from my guitar (which enables those really quick cuts on palm mute like Misha gets in the vid above) and the Smart Gate takes out whatever's left, which is mostly the noise created from the TS-9.

I was happy with just one gate, but I have been absolutely thrilled with two.

[goatLuke]

never tried 2 gates but spending the extra coin and buying a decimator pro rack was 1 of the best moves ive made for my rig

[book_of_lies777]

people really make this stuff harder than it is... buy which ever one of those you can afford, it'll work fine.

[vanhendrix]

I run two gates on my setup right now, but not at all like he did in the video. That sort of robotronic stop/start stuff sounds so phoney to me, I just hate it. I use the NS-2 in front of my amp set for a really soft gate with all my pedals in its loop. It's on all the time to cut noise for clean/dirty sounds that I use. I also have my engl's built in gate set a little higher and it kicks in whenever I switch to my distortion sounds.

My rule of thumb with both gates is to have the guitar volume wide open, but the strings totally muted. Ease up the threshold of the gate until the bacgkround noise of whatever gain level you're using goes away. Anything else, just learn to play better.


Edit: I feel like I've posted this a million times, but I used to run a decimator g and I absolutely hated that pedal. This forum seems to be head over heels for that thing, and it really proved to me that you can't believe everything you read - even from our sick community of shredders that we've amassed. In the end, being able to set the gate speed is the key feature for me, and most gates don't have that. You think I'm going to rely on some piece of equipment to automatically decide when my guitar is audible or not? Screw that!

[athawulf]

^ I agree with 99% (Since I like the decimator non g pedal)

What amp are you doing this with? My guess is an engl b/c of your avatar. Does it have a build in noisegate?

Put a gate right after your guitar, and set it to the point that muted strings will provide your preamp with silence. Flick the engl noisegate (or pedal in the loop) to just shut down any preamp noise being fed to the power section/speakers = dead silence. I know some people here like to use 2 gates between their guitar and head w/ compressors, but it never was something I tried or thought I wanted to try.

[Ckackley]

Two noise gates here too.. I got the idea from hearing about Fear Factory I think... Guitar> Rocktron Hush> Other stuff> gate in my processor.. It's definitely not a technique thing. I get 0 noise and my signal seems "crisper" in some way with the second gate.

[KAMI]

thanks for the replies guys

some more questions:

1. is the isp decimator g-string effectively two noise gates in one?

2. has anyone ever used an mxr noise clamp and/or the rocktron hush?
of so, what are they like?

3. is bulb basically using three noise gates (because of the built in engl one)?

[Double A]

Originally Posted by KAMI

thanks for the replies guys

some more questions:

1. is the isp decimator g-string effectively two noise gates in one?

2. has anyone ever used an mxr noise clamp and/or the rocktron hush?
of so, what are they like?

3. is bulb basically using three noise gates (because of the built in engl one)?

1. No, the guitar input and output are just reading the guitars signal, that is the reason a lot of people love the ISP Decimator G-string. I can see why some people do not like it but there IS a reason you would probably need to run a compressor with 2 noise gates.

2. I have only used NS-2's and Decimator pedals and I greatly prefer the ISP stuff, if you want an awesome 2 in one and do not mind having a piece of rack equipment get the pro rack g.

3. Yes, he is.

[Sepultorture]

i would have to agree that i didn't really like the g string pedal for gating

i loved my single in single out isp decimator pedal, it was amazing, but more amazing still was the Pro rack G, that thing was the best gate i ever came across period, lets you set gate level for fx loop and guitar signal separately, and lets you adjust filter tracking. sadly i am ampless again and won't be going back to a massive setup when i can get an axe fx and have everything in a small space

[Sephael]

I own the noise clamp and it's pretty good and a hell of a lot cheaper than the alternatives. The one down side of it is that it seems to taper off the volume slowly, but I'm certain that is more my technique lacking than the pedal itself.

[KAMI]

Originally Posted by Sephael

I own the noise clamp and it's pretty good and a hell of a lot cheaper than the alternatives. The one down side of it is that it seems to taper off the volume slowly, but I'm certain that is more my technique lacking than the pedal itself.

a compressor would sort out something like that, right?

[Albionic]

the ns-2 is two gates do a search for ns-2 x patern its all you need

[vanhendrix]

Originally Posted by KAMI

a compressor would sort out something like that, right?

No it won't. That was the point of the edit in my earlier post, and why I switched to the NS-2 in the first place. I like my gates to be super fast. Check out the one on your engl. If it's anything like mine then it's lightning quick, and that's how it should be!

[KAMI]

Originally Posted by vanhendrix

No it won't. That was the point of the edit in my earlier post, and why I switched to the NS-2 in the first place. I like my gates to be super fast. Check out the one on your engl. If it's anything like mine then it's lightning quick, and that's how it should be!

my engl is one of the ones that doesn't have one :/

you might have misunderstood but, I meant if a compressor would add more sustain and sort of fight the gate while playing

[vanhendrix]

Originally Posted by KAMI

my engl is one of the ones that doesn't have one :/

you might have misunderstood but, I meant if a compressor would add more sustain and sort of fight the gate while playing

I guess, but the gate would still taper off on in the same way; it would just take longer to start. I've never understood running a compressor in front of a distortion sound either though, it's just begging for noise problems.

If I run my NS-2 with the "decay" set as fast as it will go, it mimics my engl one quite well. That's the knob that most gates (even the decimator rack model) don't have.

[Double A]

Originally Posted by KAMI

my engl is one of the ones that doesn't have one :/

you might have misunderstood but, I meant if a compressor would add more sustain and sort of fight the gate while playing

Yes, it would. And yes, the set up you see in Bulb's video works like you think when set up right. If you want that effect you will need 2 gates and a compressor.

[MaxOfMetal]

Originally Posted by Albionic

the ns-2 is two gates do a search for ns-2 x patern its all you need

It's a single gate with a loop.

That's like saying a Marshall Plexi is two amps because it has two ins and outs.

[Albionic]

Originally Posted by MaxOfMetal

It's a single gate with a loop.

That's like saying a Marshall Plexi is two amps because it has two ins and outs.

but it does gate at the front end and in the loop though?
whats the difference between having an ns-s in x pattern and having a gate on the front and one in the loop? i only recently got the ns-2 so i dont 100% understand its workings but it seems to be doing the job of 2 gates and tbh i find it hard to believe that anyone would need any more gating than what i'm getting out of it.

[MaxOfMetal]

Originally Posted by Albionic

but it does gate at the front end and in the loop though?
whats the difference between having an ns-s in x pattern and having a gate on the front and one in the loop? i only recently got the ns-2 so i dont 100% understand its workings but it seems to be doing the job of 2 gates and tbh i find it hard to believe that anyone would need any more gating than what i'm getting out of it.

You're sending your signal through the same singular gate twice.

[vanhendrix]

Originally Posted by MaxOfMetal

You're sending your signal through the same singular gate twice.

Exactly. Like how an iphone uses a second microphone at the top to detect and cancel out the background noise that the bottom one picks up in addition to the actual phone call