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What is A noise gate?


Dj4_3

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It's basically a sound operated switch. You can set it so a track is muted when the sound is less than a preset level (say -30 dBFS) but un-muted/turned on as soon as any sound goes over that level. Besides the level it mutes/un-mutes, other controls will determine the speed with with the sound kicks in, and perhaps how quickly it mutes again.

 

A typical use might be on drums where bleed between mics can be a problem. A gate on, for example, the snare mic can be set to only "open" the channel for actual hits but not for the general wash from other parts of the kit. Since inevitably there is a slight lag as the gate operates, this gives an "edge" to the drum sound that some (including me) find to be a good sound.

 

FYI, (and bringing this round to a proper BR topic! :stagecrew: ) noise gates are particularly useful in a live situation!

 

Bob

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you are editing on soundforge. I'm a bit at a loss to work out what you can do to edit your guitar on soundforge, apart from chop bits out, stick bits in, add fx or adjust eq? So are you thinking of taking a single track out of a multitrack, edit in soundforge, the bung it back in to the multitrack - depending on what this is it may be simpler to sue the tools within cubase/logic et al?

 

Tell us more about what you are doing, then maybe we can suggest some things that could be good.

(and which version of soundforge?)

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well im not doin anything major, just recording some guitar parts and some friends of mine are recording their stuff and im goin to mix them together. its just a single track guitar riff and reorded the lead seprate and mixin them together. just was wonderin what other stuff in sound forge I could use!
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Well I've not used SoundForge myself, but I'm sure it will be much the same as the other editing packages out there. With one track you can cut, paste, loop etc. you can probably do time stretch/ compression effects as well as pitch change effects. There is also probably the option to revers a selection of the recorded audio.

 

There will be various types of eq's available to alter the track, as well as a selection of fx's. These may be built in or plugins. (Someone who knows SF will be able to help you here) where you will be able to add all the usual selection of fx's such as reverbs / delays etc. chorus / phase / flange and distortion / overdrive effects.

 

The may well also be a section on dynamic processing where you will be able to gate add compression and limiting.

 

If the package has a sequencer section you will be able to insert several tracks and adjust the level / panning and routing of each. plus then add all of the above effects and processors to groups or masters.

 

There are probably many more things I've missed out. But that is generally all I ever use to create sound designs and I don't much studio work anymore myself.

 

All the best,

 

Minty

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You have some tracks - your guitar parts and your friends stuff.

 

Soundforge is an editor - not a multitrack, although you can bodge it to do what you want - it isn't really suitable for what you have planned. You will have to have two mono tracks, use the editor to adjust the relative volume of each one, then save them as either a mono recording or a wierd stereo recording with very odd left and right pan. Get a proper recording bit of software - you won't enjoy doing it on soundforge.

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On a related note, I've been looking for some time for a book which go through this sort of thing without going on and on about studio recording techniques - I don't want to run a studio, just edit sound effects! Can anyone recommend one?

 

Have you looked at the series of books written by Paul White? They are clearly written and would probably contain the information you're looking for.

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You have some tracks - your guitar parts and your friends stuff.

 

Soundforge is an editor - not a multitrack, although you can bodge it to do what you want - it isn't really suitable for what you have planned. You will have to have two mono tracks, use the editor to adjust the relative volume of each one, then save them as either a mono recording or a wierd stereo recording with very odd left and right pan. Get a proper recording bit of software - you won't enjoy doing it on soundforge.

 

Adobe audition is a multitrack editor, I use it a lott to mod sfx etc, but have used it to put together some band parts too.

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