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Version: 2.0.0-preview

Gate

A noise gate that closes and attenuates the signal while it stays below Threshold, and opens again once the signal rises above it. Attack and Release shape how quickly the gate opens and closes, Hold keeps it open for a while after the signal drops back below the threshold, and Range sets how much attenuation is applied while the gate is closed.

Library location​

Library → Audio Effect → Gate

Properties​

Threshold (dB) (Threshold)​

The level below which the gate closes and attenuates the signal.

  • Type: float
  • Default: -40
  • Animatable: Yes
  • Range: [-100, 0]

Attack (ms) (Attack)​

How quickly the gate opens once the signal rises above the threshold.

  • Type: float
  • Default: 1
  • Animatable: Yes
  • Range: [0.1, 500]

Hold (ms) (Hold)​

How long the gate stays open after the signal falls below the threshold, before releasing.

  • Type: float
  • Default: 10
  • Animatable: Yes
  • Range: [0, 5000]

Release (ms) (Release)​

How quickly the gate closes after the hold time elapses.

  • Type: float
  • Default: 100
  • Animatable: Yes
  • Range: [1, 5000]

Range (dB) (Range)​

Attenuation applied while the gate is closed. 0 disables gating; more negative values attenuate harder.

  • Type: float
  • Default: -60
  • Animatable: Yes
  • Range: [-100, 0]

Notes​

  • Detection is peak-based and channel-linked: the loudest absolute sample across all channels drives a single gain factor applied to every channel, so the stereo image is preserved.
  • Peak detection is not smoothed, so Hold is what bridges a waveform's zero crossings. With Hold at 0 ms, a low-frequency signal can make the gain flutter at twice its frequency unless Release is slow enough.
  • Range of 0 dB disables gating entirely: the signal passes through unchanged, with no smoothing applied.
  • The gate starts closed at the Range floor, so a lead-in that never crosses the threshold stays at the configured attenuation instead of fading in from silence.
  • Digital silence keeps the gate closed even at the lowest Threshold of -100 dB.

Usage​

Set Threshold just above the noise floor so that only the material you want to keep opens the gate. Shorten Attack to preserve transients, and lengthen Hold and Release so the gate does not chatter during quiet passages. If full silence between phrases sounds unnatural, raise Range (closer to 0) to leave some of the background signal audible.

Source​

src/Beutl.Engine/Audio/Effects/GateEffect.cs