Closing Time
A gate monitors the level of the input signal and controls the level of the output signal accordingly. When the average input signal level decreases from above threshold to below, a gate closes (applies attenuation) so that the output signal level is less than the input signal level. A gate generally sounds better if it is forced to ramp the output signal level to its new value gradually rather than instantaneously. The Closing Time control adjusts the duration of this ramp.
Closing Time is adjustable in the range 20 µSec (one sample) to 5 Sec.
Key Channel
There are situations in which gating is applied to one channel based upon the level in another channel. This might be used in a stereo signal pair to prevent image shift; one of the channels would be considered to be the level reference and the gates in both channels would be set up identically.
The Key Channel selection indicates the channel whose level is to be used to control the gate. If the input channel is to control itself, then it should be selected as the Key Channel. Otherwise the appropriate other channel should be selected from the set of available Key Channels in the menu.
Unfamiliar Controls
There are two controls on the
Gated Attenuation
The gated attenuation is the amount of attenuation that is applied to a signal whose average level falls below the selected threshold. Most traditional noise gates use a fixed attenuation or simply mute the channel completely. The
Gated Attenuation is adjustable in the range
Detection Window
The detection window is the period of time over which the gate computes the average signal level. Every noise gate that operates upon average signal level uses a detection window. In traditional gates this window is of fixed length, and the operator may not even be aware of that length.
The
Processing Components - Gate
