Noise gating is a dynamic control technique that automatically mutes or attenuates audio signals whenever they fall below a designated volume threshold. By abruptly shutting off the signal between intentional hits, it removes bleed from adjacent instruments and truncates the natural acoustic ring of drums. This produces isolated, ultra-dry hits that leave open room across a mix.
How the songs in the archive use it
The Less I Know the Better, BIRDS OF A FEATHER, Y.M.C.A., and Dreams use gating on close-miked drums and toms to cut spill and establish bone-dry, punchy rhythmic pulses. On one vision, an EMT 140 plate reverb feed is caught with a Kepex noise gate to produce an explosive, controlled stadium snare crack.
How to do it in Logic Pro
Noise gating silences an audio channel when the signal drops below a specific amplitude. Use it to eliminate background hiss, room noise, or spill between intended instrument hits.
Insert Noise Gate on the noisy audio track.
Set Gate/Ducker to gate mode.
Adjust Threshold until the gate remains closed during silence and opens immediately on sound.
Adjust Hold and Release so natural note tails are not cut off too abruptly.
Plug-in
Control
Value
Listen for
Noise Gate
Gate/Ducker
Gate
attenuates below threshold
Noise Gate
Threshold
-35 dB
silence between hits
Noise Gate
Attack
2 ms
unclipped initial transient
Noise Gate
Hold
50
sustains body of note
Noise Gate
Release
150 ms
smooth natural closure
A general method with Logic Pro's own plug-ins. Control names are checked against Apple's manual; the values are starting points, so adjust them by ear.
Songs that use it (4)
What each track sheet's analysis found, with the sheet's own score. Analysis, not verified credits.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER by Billie EilishDamped Drum Transient: Close-miced snare and kick gated tightly into 1176LN compression, yielding a dead, upfront rhythm pulse contrasted against ambient strings.Sheet score 8/10 · Source given: Acoustic analysis · Open the full track sheet
one vision by queenGated Room Snare: Snare close-mic fed to EMT 140 plate and Kepex noise gate produces explosive, controlled mid-eighties stadium crack.Sheet score 8/10 · Source given: Mack engineering fingerprint · Open the full track sheet
Y.M.C.A. by Village PeopleThe "Sigma Sound" Disco Rhythm Section: Drums and bass are recorded incredibly tight and "dry." The use of close-miking and heavy gating separates the kick and snare from the cymbals, allowing them to punch through the massive orchestral arrangement without muddying the low-midrange.Sheet score 9/10 · Source given: Documented mixing practices of Michael Hutchinson and the Sigma NYC staff · Open the full track sheet
Common People by PulpGated Plate Vocal Staging: Jarvis Cocker's vocal captured on a Neumann U67 treated with tight Lexicon 480L plate for hyper-intimate narrative projection.Sheet score 8/10 · Source given: David Nicholas mixing recollections · Open the full track sheet
Want these sounds in your own mixes? Every song above has a full track sheet with its signal chains and a step-by-step recreation for your DAW. Open Track DiveAll techniques