Gate/Expander block

The information on this page supplements the official manuals.

Noise gate: supported by which Fractal Audio products?

• Axe-Fx II: yes.
• AX8: yes.
• FX8: yes.

Noise gate as a global block (Axe-Fx II)

• Noise gate settings (preset input) can be saved as global blocks in the Axe-Fx II. This applies to the preset noise gate and to the Gate block.

Noise gate parameters

Adjusting Threshold won't do anything if Ratio isn't adjusted as well.

The Level parameter on the GTE/IN page is not related to the noise gate. It allows sending a lower or higher level into the effects grid which can be used to compensate for guitars with varying output.

The gate features two types: “Classic” and “Intelligent”. The Classic type is a basic downward expander. The Intelligent type features faster and more stable gating along with a proprietary noise reduction algorithm.

Sidechain Select

You can use SCSEL (SideChain Select) to select the signal the gate is working with. If the gate is the first block in the routing there's no need to use SCSEL. But if the gate is placed after other blocks in the routing, it can be useful to use SCSEL to set an optimal source signal, such as Input 1. This is similar to the way the ISP Decimator operates. This is done by creating a separate routing from the grid input into the Gate block. source-1 source-2 source-3

SideChain Select is not available on the AX8.

Noise gate and X/Y switching

The Axe-Fx II XL, XL+, FX8 and AX8 support X/Y switching.

There's no MIDI CC available for Gate X/Y switching on the Axe-Fx II.

Noise gate types: preset and block

Presets have a noise gate at their input. It uses CPU cycles, so switch it off (turn Threshold to Off) if you have no need for it in a preset.

It's also advisable to set the correct Instr In setting. Cliff: "To get the best noise performance it is important that the Instr In trim is set correctly in the I/O > Input menu. Set this as high as possible without clipping the input." source

The separate Gate/Expander blocks are useful for additional noise control.

A different approach to keeping the noise low: try a Vol/Pan effect with its volume parameter tied to the Envelope controller. As long as you don't hit the strings, the (input) signal is off.

Global Noise Gate Offset

The Global Noisegate Offset parameter in the Global menu offsets the Noisegate threshold for all presets. This can be used to increase or decrease the threshold to compensate for varying interference levels. If the Threshold parameter in the preset is set to “Off”, the Global Offset will have no effect. The default value is 0 dB and is set to that upon System Reset.

Fractal Audio

• "When I program a pro rig, we always set the noise gate at a threshold that feels best in the studio, knowing that the global NOISEGATE OFFSET which can save you in a pinch should the rig need to be used in a noisy environment. By the way, BEFORE we had this global option, we'd often opt for a much more aggressive threshold: -65 db or thereabouts!" source
• "I don't use the gate at all. On the Ultra I would use the gate on high gain patches but I find I don't need it now. I did some measurements and the II is at least 10 dB better SNR." source
• "The self-noise of your guitar is usually greater than the self-noise of the Axe-Fx. This noise will be amplified by the amp block. For high-gain tones it is almost always necessary to use a gate to control this noise. Adjust the noise gate in In/Gte to squelch the noise." source
• "I prefer a fast attack and slow release and a ratio around 2." source
• "For guitar I recommend setting the Attack time very short (less than 10ms) and the Release time to 100-200ms. Ratio 2-3:1 and Threshold to taste." Source and source
• "General rule of thumb on any gate is short attack time (<5ms) and long release time (~100ms)." source
• "Typically you want a fast attack and slow release otherwise you'll get noise as the gate rapidly opens and closes when the signal decays." source
• "There are noise "reduction" techniques but all alter the desired signal in some way. Noise gates are among the most useful for our particular needs. Digital cameras use various techniques based on the statistics of the image (i.e. if an area of the image is monochromatic heavier filtering is applied). The Intelligent gate in the Axe-Fx uses some crude statistical processing where the statistics are based on the typical stats of a typical guitar. IOW, noise reduction is destructive. You can't beat the laws of physics. So you can't remove noise without somehow altering the original signal." source
• "The amp model doesn't add noise, it just amplifies it." source
• "A rule-of-thumb is that your release time should be 10-100 times the attack time." source

More information

• Noise gate in Wikipedia
• http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/noise_gates_101_what_they_do_how_to_use_them_optimally
• ML Sound Lab AKA Mikko Forum Thread: I love/hate noise gates... (YouTube video)
  • Direct Link to YouTube Video: ML Sound Lab Episode 22: Noise Gate Experimentation with ML Bulb Zilla Cab Pack
• GotMetalBoy AKA Lou Forum Thread: Here's a Tip for anybody who wants more dynamics and pick attack