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WHAT IS THE USE OF A GATE AND HOW TO USE IT
In this chapter we will briefly try to explain why the gate was invented and how it is used.
But whatever we are telling you, please feel free to experiment and make creative use of the
dBG-8 (just remember that all tricks explained in this manual are normally done by trained
professionals).
The 'gate' originally was known as 'Noise gate'. As long as we humans hear an acoustic
signal (music, speech, ...), we can focus on that signal and forget annoying side effects
like noise. The moment there is a pause in that relevant signal, all annoying side effects
like noise and other signals become more apparent. In the dark ages when digital was not
yet invented, all audio was recorded on analog carriers like tape, vinyl discs, mini-cassette
etc.. These carriers and the equipment needed to read and amplify the audio from them
also carried and amplified some noise inherent to the medium. So someone invented the
simple noise gate: when the audio signal dropped under a certain level (the threshold) it
was considered as non-relevant and the signal was attenuated (in the case of the dBG-8:
60dB). The moment the signal rises again above the threshold the gate will open and audio
will pass. So here is the first use of a gate: attenuating the existing noise during pauses in
the program material.
Another issue occurs when multiple microphones are on a stage and amplified. All microp-
hones (how elaborated there design may be) are still very stupid electro-acoustic trans-
ducers. And even the most expensive digital mixing console or multi-Fx processor is not
much more than a good calculator. Most of us humans have a brain (there will always be
exceptions), and the human brain is still much more advanced than whatever equipment we
are able to design. When you are at a cocktail party you have no problem following a nearby
discussion when you focus on it, even if there are a lot of people talking around you. As long
as the ambient noise is not too loud you will be able to follow the discussion. Microphones
are not intelligent, they are stupid: they cannot discern what they should pick up and what
not. For example: you are miking a drumset:
In the ideal world, the mic on the snare drum should only pick up the sound of the snare
drum when it is hit, but as you already know, it will also pick up the sound of the bass drum,
the Hi-Hat, the cymbals, some of the tom's and even the farting of the drummer (depending
on the drummer of course). The same is of course true for the mic of the bass drum and
the ones on the toms, the Hi-Hat etc.. This means that the sound of the snare drum will be
captured by almost all microphones on the drum set. We are now facing a major problem:
the sound of the snare will not arrive at all these microphones at the same time, since they
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